Fri, Nov 14, 2008
Wake Turbulence Among Possible Causes Being Investigated
The US ambassador to Mexico says
investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board found
no evidence the November 4 downing of a Learjet 45 transporting two
controversial officials in the Mexican government was anything
other than an unfortunate accident... but that's not likely to
appease citizens who are convinced it was a drug cartel-backed
conspiracy.
Investigators have found nothing on the flight data recorder,
CVR, or in the wreckage to indicate "sabotage or criminal activity
caused the crash," Ambassador Tony Garza told The Associated Press.
"The preliminary evidence indicates the crash was a tragic
accident," he added.
As ANN reported, Interior Minister Juan Camilo
Mourino and former Assistant Attorney General Jose Luis Santiago
Vasconcelos died in the crash, along with six others onboard the
plane. The plane departed the northern city of San Luis Potosi, and
was on approach to land at Mexico City International Airport when
it came down for still-undetermined reasons.
Five persons on the ground were killed in the accident, and at
least 40 others were injured when the aircraft impacted a business
and residential neighborhood. Almost immediately, speculation has
run rampant about why the plane went down; Santiago Vasconcelos was
a prominent opponent of the country's violent and powerful drug
cartels, while Mourino was Mexico's top security official.
The accident occurred in clear weather, and the Lear's flight
crew gave no indications of any trouble before the crash. Mexican
investigators have theorized wake turbulence from another aircraft
may have caused the downing; they ruled out a bomb as the cause of
the accident last week, noting no traces of explosions were
discovered.
Garza told the AP that NTSB officials would leave Mexico
Thursday, though they would be ready to help their Mexican
counterparts if called upon. He stressed "we must now all await the
final conclusions" of Mexican aviation officials, rather than
speculating on any probable causes.
The NTSB has not issued a Preliminary Report on the
accident.
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