DC-9 Crashes on Takeoff at Mexico City Airport - Aero California Flight 706

On 21 July 2004, a 37 year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 registration XA-BCS, took off under a heavy rainstorm, and faced an invisible force that pushed it down as they lifted off.

[@garyowen9044]

You always have great graphics, but I must say your work with people boarding the aircraft has improved tremendously! Great job!

[@danielkokal8819]

yeah.... the passengers always looked like they were walking with a load in their pants.

[@garyowen9044]

@@danielkokal8819 these weren’t bad. He’s definitely improved with people. His aircraft and scenery graphics are first rate!

[@flyingtigerline]

Always good when you post a new video.

[@fubarmodelyard1392]

It's raining so hard I can't see you but yeah go ahead with take off. You'll be fine

[@falcon4548]

Yeahhh you got dis 😬

[@maltheartistme]

“sure, we cant see, but we can still takeoff.”

[@Ztbmrc1]

It is always the final responsibility of the captain to decide whether to take off or not... And in this case just wait a bit till the worst of the weather has passed would have been a better choice. Maybe a case of getthereitis?

[@TheLitehart1]

@@Ztbmrc1 I think so. Not that this necessarily absolves him, but I suspect the captain was under pressure from his employer to get that plane going or costs could be incurred. Seems to be a common problem with commercial flying.

[@jhonsiders6077]

The DC9 was a real pilots aircraft My father had seat time in one and said it was a great plane .

[@californiadreaming9216]

Glad to see that 50% of the blame on this one was assigned to ATC... this flight SHOULD NOT have been authorized until weather improved.

[@OsbornTramain]

Techically, they still have a valid license that is active in Mexico. There use to be a half dozen of their plnes parked at the LaPaz airport in Baja Sur. Who knows if they will ever fly again, it only will take money

[@six-pack1332]

Probably a good thing that they didn't gain any more speed or altitude before being hit by that wind sheer. If it had happened 5 seconds later...

[@benc1103]

Better to be on the ground wishing I was up there than to be up there wishing I was on the ground. I've taken off on that same runway many times. Day VFR is fine and still has challenges. At night in a storm? No way, Jose' . Better to wait it out. Pilots get paid by the minute anyway. BC 27,000 hrs

[@TheLitehart1]

I originally thought that this plane's age/service time (102,000 flights!) was going to be a factor in this incident, but nope, the plane was just fine. As usual, it comes down to money; the airline was worried about the potential cost of this plane not going ahead. $ ahead of human lives. Glad everyone was OK. Thanks for this!

[@jkryanspark]

All's well that ends well. No death, no injury. The airframe was old anyway, so scrapping it was only a financial consideration.

[@walkerpantera]

The bass used in your vids sounds GREAT on my wifi speaker on the floor. Niiiiice! Very immersive actually.

[@psalm2forliberty577]

Thanks 🙏 thats very illuminating. "Get there itis strikes again"

[@danielestrada1850]

The ever-present Mexico City rain did one up on those unlucky folks

[@palco22]

Some you win, some you loose but best of all, .... some you get a free pass !

[@richardshiggins704]

The aircraft , damaged beyond repair ?

[@NoHandlePlease423]

Look how wide those seats are. That was when you had some arm room

[@ulaysoe6742]

Don’t be stubborn.

[@Eric_200]

Crazy color scheme on their livery. Like if German and Spanish flags had a love child that was slow.

[@Aircraft1606.]

Aero California Flight 706 CVR Transcript 4:18 TOWER: AC 706‚ I don't have you in sight‚ but takeoff is still possible. 4:25 PIC: Roger . AC 706 ready for takeoff. 4:30 PIC to SIC: We're going. 5:18 SIC: 80 knots. 5:25 SIC: Vee one 5:44 PIC: What's going on.

[@magardunoe]

Magnifico avion! : Lo mejor era volar otro dia!: de los males el menos!

[@paulw4310]

No mention of them turning both ignitors on, recalculating a higher Vr speed, recalculating performance for a contaminated runway and most especially, no mention of them lining up in position and using their weather radar to paint a picture of what lied ahead. Hurry up and crash! Lousy judgement by both the flight crew and ATC.

[@psalm2forliberty577]

All correct but remember it's a 1967 DC-9 and if the cockpit view is close to accurate, no weather radar screens were in the dash console - the avionics were not updated as no planes, to my knowledge, were equipped with such new in such an old plane. Being a bit of a 3rd or 2nd world budget carrier not real surprising the plane hadn't updated to new tech, which certainly existed in 2004.

[@paulw4310]

@@psalm2forliberty577 Actually, that flight sim recreation does have an old school (round screen) monochrome weather radar depicted...but it is just a recreation. I very, very highly doubt that in 2004 that A/C didn't have onboard WX radar. In fact I truly doubt that it was even an old monochrome radar. Nothing I've flown in Pt 121 (or other nations equivalent) didn't have WX radar and nothing has had monochrome since the early 90s. Mexico may lag behind the states in required safety technology by a few years (ADS-B i.e.)...but not that badly.

[@ronduncan9527]

They’re lucky there was nothing at the end of the runway!

[@billolsen4360]

Always avoid airlines that are having a financial crush.

[@larrybruce4856]

So, they took off anyway even when the tower had no visual of the plane due to the heavy rain. Sounds like money was a main factor in the decision as a cancelled or delayed flight would cause a backup of other airlines. These poor decisions i would think would cause more loss of MONEY as it would scare the hell out of anyone considering flying anywhere. I think I would reconsider my travel transportation knowing of these piss poor, and life threatening decisions. Take a bus ! ! !

[@irasemamendez95]

So sad that the pilots sacrifice their lives and the passengers too. Just to save some money for the companies. Thanks God everyone survive

[@timothyleon558]

The plane was too damn old, anyway. When the fabric looks like it was taken from Ford’s Theatre, GET OFF!

[@johnhammond9962]

Mexico City is over 7,000 feet.

[@psalm2forliberty577]

Great point. Higher altitude / decreased engine thrust + bad condition on flooded runway + windshear = what could possibly go wrong ?!?

[@watchgoose]

this was 20 years ago....

[@gusmc01]

Played a game of hurry up and crash

[@bobmillerick300]

Everyone evacuated the aircraft and drowned.

[@christieabarrett3219]

They did not. 🙄

[@TheHaratashi]

That's not true - no one died after they exited the plane.

[@nommadd5758]

😆🤣

[@scoobydubedoo]

It is better to get there one minute late .... then NOT get there at all!!! /SHEESH\ 😡😱🤬🤬🤬 👻👻👻👻👻

[@walkerpantera]

Wow I'll take a 16 foot drop in a jet full of fuel over a 16 THOUSAND foot tall ANY day.

[@gunsaway1]

Hold my beer!

[@rubiks6]

Make stupid decisions, win stupid prizes. Bye bye, Aero California.

[@ChaseBarsamian-b9q]

Fisher Tunnel

[@HenryFalkner]

This is a simulation.

[@FredericHolshue-u1e]

Burdette Corner

[@bunglejoy3645]

Saying i dont have you in site but tske off still possible id said well we can't tell you what to fo but i know what id do on reflection ATC can see the weather thry should be able to say weather is too dangerous to take off just at the crucial rotate call a red light flashed in cockpit it was another situation where it was too lityle too late better getting up then returning

[@TheHaratashi]

It's sight not site. Site is a location.

[@southpakrules]

503

[@floycewhite6991]

Doggone 30-year-old plane jinx strikes again.

[@maxon-m3c]

Take a look at the seats! Wrinkles, dirt, grime! I don't think I would want to ride on this plane if that is what I saw boarding!

[@psalm2forliberty577]

​@@maxon-m3c Hey the 3rd world 🌍 airlines don't waste their money on spit polishing their interiors. Or on weather radar screens in the cockpit either !

[@SeanMcmahon-e8z]

No reason for anyone from Mexico to be going to Durango.. this is so stupid… god bless Trump for ending this type of nonsense.

[@shibukurian79]

CVR: ATC: yea its a storm comin in ahead of ya 5:o'clock to ya and taxi via kilo alpha charlie alpha 6 victor alpha traffic comin in for a landing expedite clearance sir. Aerocalifornia 706: november aah roger that. ATC: follow the delta if you wanna expedite. Aerocalifornia 706: the 737? ATC: yes sir the one off to alpha 6 over there he's on a different freq though Aerocalifornia 706: [unintelligable] ATC:damn its rainin so hard we've lost your plane sir i dont have any visial contact right now. *2minutes later* Aerocalifornia 706: are we cleardd for takeoff? Were on the runway. ATC: alpha charlie you were cleared Aerocalifornia 706:ok we'll be headin 150 Aerocalifornia 706: wind check please 706. ATC: takeoff is still possible. ATC: copy that break delta 41 taxi via charlie hold at alpha 6. Delta 41 we are holdin. Aerocalifornia 706: *starts takeoff roll* Aerocalifornia 706: Here we go.. V1 Rotate V2 ATC: eastern 315 [unintelligable] Aerocalifornia 706:SINK RATE!SINK RATE! Aerocalifornia 706 whats goin on? *impact* *Left gear collapses* *end of recording*

[@borismedved835]

4:15 Disabled mute to see if the conversation was included. Awesomely obnoxious noise. W?!T?!F?!

[@TheUnreadableUser]

Man discovers wiper noises