Cessna 340 accident near Veracruz, Mx, May 7, 2009
On May 7, 2009 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 340, registered XBCUC, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Veracruz (General Heriberto Jara Corona airport). It was a business flight under non-U.S. private rules. 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- May 7, 2009 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Veracruz, Mexico · General Heriberto Jara Corona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- XBCUC · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 5, 2009 at about 0900 central daylight time a Cessna 340, Mexican Registration XB-CUC crashed while returning to land after takeoff at General Heriberto Jara Corona International Airport, Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. The pilot requested to return to the airport shortly after takeoff and was cleared to land by the tower. The pilot and 2 passengers were fatally injured and 1 passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight had a planned destination of McAllen, Texas. A technical adviser from Cessna Aircraft traveled to Veracruz, Mexico to assist in the DGAC Investigation. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Mexico. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Mexico. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) Direccion General de Aeronutica Civil (DGAC) Col. san Juan de Arrgon, 3-seccion Del. Venustiano Carrabza Mexico, D.F, Mexico c.p. 15620 Telephone: 55-2598-0138
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMVR Veracruz at 1:50 pm
- Destination: KMFE Mcallen TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from MMVR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.