Western Airlines Flight 2605
Encyclopedia
On October 31, 1979, Western Airlines
Flight 2605, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10
-10 flying from Los Angeles
to Mexico City
, landed on a closed runway at Benito Juarez International Airport in early morning fog and burst into flames after striking a parked truck. 72 of the 89 people aboard, including 11 of 13 crew, were killed.
The DC-10-10 had been assigned runway 23R but landed on the closed twin runway 23L.
Western Airlines
Western Airlines was a large airline based in California, with operations throughout the Western United States, and hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver...
Flight 2605, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
-10 flying from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, landed on a closed runway at Benito Juarez International Airport in early morning fog and burst into flames after striking a parked truck. 72 of the 89 people aboard, including 11 of 13 crew, were killed.
The DC-10-10 had been assigned runway 23R but landed on the closed twin runway 23L.