By Associated Press - Thursday, September 6, 2018

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexican airline Aeromexico says it has fired three pilots involved in an accident that saw a jet crash belly-down into a field in July.

Investigators said earlier that a trainee pilot was improperly seated in the co-pilot’s seat when the plane took off.

They said the plane’s commanding officer took over controls from the trainee just before the crash.

People were interested in these podcasts

The airline said in a letter to employees published Thursday that the pilots’ actions were “in direct violation of our company’s policies, manuals and procedures.”

Investigators blamed a sudden downdraft known as a microburst for bringing the jet, and said there was no evidence of pilot error.

All 103 people aboard survived, some with injuries, in the July 31 crash.

Copyright © 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.

Story Topics

Please read our comment policy before commenting.