Air Crash Investigation - S04E09 Out of Sight (Aeroméxico Flight 498/Piper Archer N4891F)

Description

On 31 August 1986, Aeroméxico Flight 498 a DC-9 and Piper Archer N4891F collided over Cerritos, California causing both planes to go out of control, killing 82 people. The accident was caused by neither pilot making visual contact and a lack of automated collision-warning systems. The crash inspires TCAS (A collision-avoidence system).

Type of aircraft: Aeroméxico Flight 498: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32, N4891F: Piper PA-28-181 Archer.
Cause of disaster: Mid-air collision, Pilot error (Piper), ATC error, outdated radar systems.

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