Aeromexico, Mexican government investigate cause of deadly plane crash

MEXICO CITY - Federal investigators and airline officials gathered at the site of a plane crash Saturday to determine what caused a DC-9 jetliner to skid out of control, slamming into houses and killing a mother and her three children.

They conducted interviews, examined the plane and studied weather conditions to establish why the aircraft, carrying 83 passengers and five crew members, was unable to stop Friday at Reynosa airport, across the border from McAllen, Texas. All the passengers were Mexican citizens.

''We can't speculate on what the cause was. It hasn't yet been officially determined,'' said Javier Quijano, an investigator from the federal Civil Aeronautics agency, which is looking into the crash along with the Mexican and local attorneys general.

Aeromexico spokeswoman Erika Montes told The Associated Press on Saturday that the airline believes the plane's brakes were working well but that the aircraft couldn't stop because of heavy rain on the runway.

In a news release issued Saturday, the airline noted that the brakes had been serviced according to national and international regulations.

Airport manager Silverio Ruiz told the government news agency Notimex on Friday that the braking system had failed. Later, he told Notimex that the airport's short runway could have contributed to the crash, saying it is the shortest in the country. It was also soaked from heavy rains from tropical depression Keith.

Quijano said it could be 10 days before a conclusion is reached. He said the plane would not be removed from the ditch where it crashed until the investigation is completed. Luggage remained on board.

The plane, en route from Mexico City to Reynosa, was landing in stormy weather about 5 p.m. Friday when it smashed into at least two cars and three homes just beyond the runway.

Passengers and crew escaped with minor cuts and bruises, while a 40-year-old woman and her three children, ages 1,3 and 5, were killed when the plane struck their home.

The local attorney general's office on Saturday identified the dead as Yolanda de los Santos, 40, 5-year-old Guadalupe Jasso de los Santos, 3-year-old Artemio Jasso de los Santos and 1-year-old Antonio Jasso de los Santos. Aeromexico said it would pay for their funerals.

There were initial reports that two people walking in the area were also killed, but attorney general's office investigator Juan Antonio Vargas said he had no information to that effect.

The pilot, Alejandro Corzo, 50, and co-pilot Alejandro Fernandez, whose age was not available, were treated at the hospital in Reynosa, along with four passengers and a female flight attendant, Aeromexico said.

Five people from the accident were being treated at Santander hospital Saturday, none with life-threatening injuries, said Ileana Buentello, director of patient care.

The DC-9 aircraft, which can seat 97 passengers, was manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and had 74,230 flight hours, Aeromexico said. Corzo had more than 10,300 flight hours and numerous regular landings at the Reynosa airport since 1983, the airline said.