Cessna 402 accident near Monterrey, Mx, October 17, 2008
On October 17, 2008 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 402, registered XCHAQ, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Monterrey (Del Norte International airport). It was flown under non-U.S. private rules. 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2008 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Monterrey, Mexico · Del Norte International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 402C · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- XCHAQ · no longer on the register · serial 402C-0521
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 17, 2008, a Cessna 402C with Mexican Registration XC-HAQ departed on Runway 02 from Del Norte Airport (MMAN), near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico at 1308 central daylight time (CDT) and was on climb out to cruise when radar contact was lost at 1315. The aircraft was found at approximately 1820 in a mountainous region near the village of Garcia, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The Cessna was owned and operated by the state government of Baja California Sur and was on a cross country flight to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. A visual flight rules flight plan had been filed. The pilot, copilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was located by search and rescue and found to have impacted impacted a vertical face on Cerro Del Fraile Mountain, at approximately 5,700 feet Mean Sea Level, 11 nautical miles from the point of departure, on an approximate magnetic heading of 254 degrees. Altitude required to clear the mountain was a minimum of 7,000 feet mean sea level. Local air traffic controllers had cleared the Cessna to a heading of 254 degrees after take off, to climb to 12,500 feet, and maintain visual meteorological conditions. Weather at the time was reported to be a broken ceiling at 3000 feet. The investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Government of the Republic of Mexico. Any further information may be obtained from: Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC) Providencia 807, Cuarto Piso Colonia del Valle, Codigo Postal 03100 Mexico, D.F. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from the DGAC of the Republic of Mexico.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
Crew member
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Seat: left
Crew member
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MMAN Monterrey at 6:08 pm
- Destination: La Paz
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.