Investigation Summary
Flight 111 was operating a multi-leg route from Tijuana to Acapulco, with Mexico City as the next scheduled stop. After landing in Guadalajara at 20:00 CST from Mazatlán, the aircraft prepared for the leg to the capital. The departure procedure from Guadalajara's old airport required a specific instrument-based climbing 'tear drop' left turn to avoid high terrain. However, upon taking off from Runway 28 at 21:53 CST, the crew encountered heavy rain and poor visibility. For reasons that remain partially unclear, the pilots halted their turn and flew straight for approximately two minutes. This deviation placed the Constellation on a south-westerly heading directly toward the Latillas mountains. At approximately 21:57 CST, the flight was unknowingly headed straight towards Cerro Latillas. A Mexicana de Aviación DC-3 holding nearby witnessed a fireball on the ground shortly after the Constellation's departure. The wreckage was discovered the following morning, having been subjected to heavy looting before authorities could secure the site.
Final Conclusions
The investigation identified spatial disorientation and a loss of situational awareness as primary factors. The crew failed to follow the established instrument departure chart, likely due to the lack of visual references in stormy night conditions. While Mexican investigators initially suggested a possible mechanical failure, the ICAO resolution found no evidence to support a technical malfunction, concluding the aircraft was airworthy until the moment of impact.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Crew Experience
Captain
Alfonso Ceceña Gastélum
First Officer
Roberto Herrera
Systems & Failure Modes
Instrument Departure Procedure
A prescribed 'tear drop' left turn designed to allow aircraft to climb safely away from terrain near the Guadalajara airport.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was originally delivered to Air India in 1951 as VT-DEO before being acquired by Aeronaves de México in February 1958.
- 02The crash killed 38 passengers and 7 crew members.
- 03Notable passengers included oceanographers Townsend Cromwell and Bell M. Shimada, as well as José Luis Arregui Zepeda (brother of the Estadio Jalisco builder) and Dionisio Fernández Sahagún (co-founder of the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara).
- 04The flight was operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) due to night conditions and heavy rain.
- 05The crash site was located at Cerro Latillas, which was off the intended flight path for the departure procedure.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Adherence to Instrument Departure Procedures
The investigation emphasized the necessity for strict adherence to instrument departure charts (SIDs), particularly the 'tear drop' climbing turn required at Guadalajara's old airport to clear local terrain in non-visual conditions.
Spatial Disorientation Mitigation
The ICAO resolution reinforced the importance of maintaining situational awareness and spatial orientation through instrument cross-checks when operating in heavy rain and night conditions without external visual references.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Discrepancy in Mechanical Failure Findings
Reference ↗Mexican federal investigators initially listed mechanical failure as a contributing cause, but this was explicitly disputed by the ICAO resolution, which found no evidence of such failure.