# NTSB DCA18WA278: Airbus A321-271N, N535VL, Tapachula, Mexico, August 20, 2018

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation
- Date: August 20, 2018, 18:55 local (18:55 UTC)
- Place: Tapachula, Mexico
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Lead agency: Other
- NTSB case key (mKey): 98221
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA18WA278
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98221/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18WA278

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus A321-271N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=3930910), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

The government of Mexico has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a AIRBUS A321-271N airplane that occurred on August 20, 2018. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the government of Mexico's investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13.All investigative information will be released by the government of Mexico.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N535VL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N535VL), registered now, S/N 8087, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A321-271N (No Series)
- Registry model: [Airbus A321-271N](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-271n) (registry code 3930910) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [IAE PW1133G-JM](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-pw1133g-jm) (registry code 34600, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 8087
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Non-U.S., commercial
- Operator: Consecionaria Vuela Compania de Aviacion
- Registered owner: Wilimington Trust Co Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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