Narrative:
The aircraft undershot runway 29 at Cozumel Airport, Mexico, during a visual approach. It operated on a flight from Kingston, Jamaica, to Houston, Texas, USA with an en route stop at Cozumel.
The flight contacted Cozumel Tower at 18:33 hours, reporting at 14 DME. The controller then cleared the flight for a VOR/DME approach to runway 29 and to report passing the VOR or field at sight. One minute later, the crew reported having the field in sight and so requested to make a visual approach, directly to runway 29. The controller authorized this and instructed to report at 5 DME.
The aircraft was subsequently cleared to land, with wind reported to be calm.
The final approach was low and the aircraft hit the ground 500 m short of the threshold.
Probable cause: "Impact with the ground during approach in twilight conditions (evening twilight), with wrong altimetric adjustment (QNH) in the instruments of the copilot, during an operation carried out under visual flight rules (VFR)".
Undershoot/overshoot
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Monday 13 August 1990 |
| Time: | 18:40 |
| Type: |  Rockwell 1121 Jet Commander |
| Operator: | Aviex Jet |
| Registration: | N301AJ |
| MSN: | 48 |
| First flight: | 1966 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7033 |
| Engines: | 2 General Electric CJ610-1 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 0,5 km (0.3 mls) SE of Cozumel Airport (CZM) ( Mexico)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Kingston Airport (KIN/MKJP), Jamaica |
| Cozumel Airport (CZM/MMCZ), Mexico |
The aircraft undershot runway 29 at Cozumel Airport, Mexico, during a visual approach. It operated on a flight from Kingston, Jamaica, to Houston, Texas, USA with an en route stop at Cozumel.
The flight contacted Cozumel Tower at 18:33 hours, reporting at 14 DME. The controller then cleared the flight for a VOR/DME approach to runway 29 and to report passing the VOR or field at sight. One minute later, the crew reported having the field in sight and so requested to make a visual approach, directly to runway 29. The controller authorized this and instructed to report at 5 DME.
The aircraft was subsequently cleared to land, with wind reported to be calm.
The final approach was low and the aircraft hit the ground 500 m short of the threshold.
Probable Cause:
Probable cause: "Impact with the ground during approach in twilight conditions (evening twilight), with wrong altimetric adjustment (QNH) in the instruments of the copilot, during an operation carried out under visual flight rules (VFR)".
Accident investigation:
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Classification:
Wrong altimeter setting Undershoot/overshoot
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Kingston Airport to Cozumel Airport as the crow flies is 1096 km (685 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Kingston Airport to Cozumel Airport as the crow flies is 1096 km (685 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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