Pilots in 2013 Medical Evacuation LearJet crash had fake records

On November 19, 2013, a LearJet 35, registration XA-USD, operated a medical transport flight for Air Evac International from San Jose, Costa Rica to Fort Lauderdale Florida. The aircraft was repositioning from Florida back to Cozumel, Mexico, with two pilots and two flight medics on board. As the aircraft was climbing through 2,200 feet the copilot radioed an engine failure and requested a return to the airport. Two minutes later the copilot radioed a Mayday, and the aircraft continued a gradual descent and slowing, and eventually impacted the surface of the ocean, killing all four on board.

Investigators determined that at some point after takeoff, the left engine thrust reverser deployed. However, the real mystery began when they started checking pilot records as part of the investigation.

The pilots were employed by Vuela SA de CV, who "leased" crews to Aero JL SA de CV, both companies were owned by the same person. According to records, the pilot in command had 10,091 total hours, with 1,400 in the 30 series LearJet. According to records supplied the copilot had accrued 1,243 hours, with 29 in the Lear 35. When investigators looked at pay statements, both pilots had identical hours, deductions, and pay over multiple pay periods. There were no records of them having completed ground or simulator training on LearJet type aircraft, and the government of Mexico has stated that the records supplied "showed inconsistencies on the verifications of training and certifications". The copilot was evaluated by the DGAC in May of 2013, and his performance was found to be "unsatisfactory".

The pilot held a Mexican commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane, and an ATP and type ratings in Learjets and the Gulfstream GI. The operator told investigators the pilot had accrued 10,091 total hours of flight experience, of which 1,400 hr. were in the 30-series Learjet.

On July 5, 2013, the operator issued the pilot a certificate of training for 8 hr. of crew resource management. On the same day, he was issued another certificate for an additional 8 hr. of instruction on controlled flight into terrain.

The copilot held a commercial pilot certificate issued by Mexico, with ratings for airplane single-engine, airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane. The copilot’s total flight experience could not be reconciled. Documents provided by the operator suggested the copilot had accrued an estimated 1,243 total hours of flight experience, of which 29 hr. were in the Learjet 35.

According to company records and a resume, the copilot began flying Learjets for the Vuela SA/Aero JL organizations on May 1, 2013. At that time, the copilot declared 1,206 total hours of flight experience, of which 82 hr. were “observer” time in Learjet 25s. From the day of employment to the day of the accident, the copilot accrued 37.16 hr. of flight experience in Lear 25/35 airplanes.

A certificate stamped “General Technical Department of Licenses,” which was forwarded by the operator to the NTSB, suggested the copilot accrued 175 hr. in the Learjet 35A between July 4, 2013, and Oct. 30, 2013; however, his total documented flight experience increased only 29 hr. over the same time period.

On Aug. 20, 2012, the copilot received a diploma for classroom instruction received for the Learjet 20 series airplanes from a technical training school in Mexico that had neither airplanes nor flight simulators. There was no evidence that the copilot completed any training or practical tests in a Learjet airplane or flight simulator.

aviationweek.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Possible covert drug running operation maybe ?

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
a reply to: Zaphod58

Possible covert drug running operation maybe ?

certainly could be, there is money in drugs.

Here's the NTSB link.


www.ntsb.gov...


Running drugs. Or smuggling people.

Found mayday audio

www.liveatc.net...

www.liveatc.net...

Medical Evacuation would be the perfect cover for running drugs or just about anything else. I wouldn't be shocked in the least to find out that they were smuggling.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yea stick a great big Ebola tag on the cooler and a few fake ID's and its not like the regulars in security are going to want to pop it open to check .And of course it could get priority with a time sensitive nature .Fake lab ,fake ID's ...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Out of curiosity.

info says there were 4 on the flight. and they recovered the pilot and copilot.

what about the other 2? they recover those?

aircraft ownership history


google cache

a reply to: grey580

They recovered one man and one woman, and suspended the recovery efforts for the other two on board.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Sounds like a scene from Face Off... or better

New faces... medical flight.. Ditch the witnesses... en swap your parachute for your submarine : P