Crash Site

Lore & Background

The crash site was found within hours, as an ATC worker in Morelia reported seeing a smoke column just minutes after they had lost contact with the flight. The wreckage was found scattered among the Sierra Madre Occidental ranges since the aircraft broke up in mid-air. The tail section was found on the foothill with at least 20 bodies found inside, while the front portion, which constituted the majority of the aircraft and occupants, was found near a crevice. Flames could be seen still erupting from the crash site. At least 500 personnel were dispatched for the recovery efforts, most of whom were soldiers and Mexican Red Cross. Local volunteers were also assisting. However, the crash site was remote and difficult to reach. The nearest road was located at least 14 km from the site, and rescuers had to walk by foot. Some of the team were flown by helicopter, but due to the vegetation and hilly terrain, they still had to walk on foot. By the time they reached the site, the wreckage was still smouldering. Firefighters managed to douse the flames approximately eight hours after the crash. Multiple reports of looting by peasants and local officials began to emerge as well.

In Their Own Story

The aircraft lost contact just 3 minutes after it made a request to return to Mexico City. After multiple failed attempts to call the crew, Flight 940 was declared as missing and emergency personnel were dispatched to search for the plane. They received calls from local residents that an aircraft had crashed in the foothills of the mountain range near San Miguel el Alto, in the municipality of Maravatio, Michoacan. Eyewitnesses reported details of the crash to authorities and the local police and the Mexican army were dispatched to the crash site. Due to the remoteness of the site and hilly terrain, rescuers had to use mules and donkeys to move the bodies from the crash site. The victims would be carried to Maravatio and then flown to Morelia before being finally flown to Mexico City. By 1 April, all of the bodies had been recovered from the crash site. A total of 109 bodies were recovered on that day, and all were flown to Mexico City on four flights. Rescuers also managed to retrieve the aircraft's FDR and CVR, which would be transported to Mexico City for analysis.

Reader's Guide

The crash site is located on El Carbón mountain in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range, near the town of Maravatío, Michoacán. The nearest road is located at least 14 km from the site, requiring rescuers to travel by foot or helicopter. The terrain is remote, hilly, and covered in vegetation, making access extremely difficult. The wreckage is scattered across the area, with the tail section found on a foothill and the front portion near a crevice. This location matters because it is the final resting place of all 167 victims of the deadliest aviation disaster on Mexican soil, and the investigation into the crash concluded that an explosion originating in the wheel well, caused by an overheated wheel from faulty brakes, led to the structural failure and crash.

Did You Know?

• The crash of Flight 940 is the deadliest aviation disaster ever on Mexican soil, and the deadliest involving a Boeing 727.
• The aircraft broke up in mid-air due to a fire that melted a large portion of the back fuselage, causing the tail section to separate from the front portion.
• Rescuers had to use mules and donkeys to move bodies from the remote crash site to Maravatio.
• The wife of Captain Sixtos, Graciela Flores, who had survived the crash of Mexicana de Aviación Flight 801 in 1969, was among the passengers on Flight 940.
• American tennis player Derrick Rostagno was booked on the flight but stayed in Mexico City to play a match, avoiding the crash.