Synopsis

On August 31, 1986, Aeroméxico Flight 498, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, collided with a light aircraft over Cerritos, California. The impact sent both planes spiraling out of control, resulting in a crash that claimed the lives of 82 people. The disaster stemmed from a failure of both pilots to visually spot each other and the absence of automated systems designed to warn of potential collisions. The tragedy ultimately spurred the development of the traffic collision avoidance system.