Accident Learjet 25 N345MC,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 320834

Date:	Sunday 9 December 2012
Time:	03:33
Type:	Learjet 25
Owner/operator:	Starwood Management LLC
Registration:	N345MC
MSN:	25-046
Year of manufacture:	1969
Engine model:	General Electric CJ610-6
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Iturbide - Mexico
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Executive
Departure airport:	Monterrey-General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MTY/MMMY)
Destination airport:	Toluca Airport (TLC/MMTO)
Investigating agency:	DGCA Mexico
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Learjet 25 corporate jet crashed near Iturbide, Mexico while en route on a flight between Monterrey and Toluca Airport (TLC), Mexico. There were two pilots and five passengers on board. All were killed in the crash.
The airplane had been chartered to transport Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera and four others to Toluca following an evening concert in the Monterrey Arena.
The flight departed Monterrey at 03:19 and began to climb with the intention of reaching 37,000 ft with an average climb rate of about 1,800 ft/s. At about 03:30:15, two and a half minutes before the final descent, the aircraft stopped climbing and held an altitude of approximately 26,000 ft for about 15 seconds. At 03:31:30 the aircraft again held an altitude of 28,000 ft for a little over 15 seconds before climbing to 28,700 ft. Then at 03:32:11 the aircraft descended 500 ft, returned to 28,800 ft, and then descended until it collided with mountainous terrain at an altitude of 5600 feet above sea level.

The NTSB laboratory assisted in the examination of the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator. The examination indicate no evidence of pre-existing damage, corrosion or fatigue. The fracture surfaces of the actuator were indicative of overstress failure as a result of impact.
It appeared that the captain was not allowed to operate a commercial flight given his age (78 years old). The copilot had an FAA license which lacked a type rating for Learjet aircraft.

CAUSE: (translated from Spanish report) Loss of control of the airplane for undetermined reasons.

Accident investigation: