VH-CZG Douglas DC-9-31

VH-CZG. Douglas DC-9-31. c/n 47501-572.

Was also registered as: N936ML.

This aircraft was the first of three additional airframes ordered new by Ansett Airlines - 1968

First flown - February 1970

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-CZG - February 13, 1970

Registered to Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd, Melbourne

Accepted by Ansett at Long Beach - February 13, 1970

Departed Long Beach on the delivery flight to Australia - February 14, 1970

It arrived at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) on completion of the delivery flight - February 17, 1970

Ferried Sydney (Kingsford Smith) - Melbourne (Essendon) - February 18, 1970

Delivery route: Long Beach - Honolulu - Pago Pago - Nadi - Tontouta - Sydney - Melbourne

Flight crew: Captains A. Lane, P. Barson, N. F. Schmidt; Navigator B. S. McEwen

Operated its first revenue service - February 20, 1970

It was involved in an attempted highjacking at Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport - May 14, 1970

A young male passenger entered the cockpit armed with a toy gun and demanded they depart immediately

Passengers were evacuated via the rear stairs without knowing about the drama

The highjacker left the aircraft after some 30 minutes and was subsequently arrested and charged

Operated its final revenue service Adelaide - Melbourne (Tullamarine) - February 05, 1982

It was placed in open storage at Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport having flown 30,452 hours

Prepared for sale to Midway Airlines - March 1982

Departed Melbourne (Tullamarine) on the ferry flight to the United States - March 22, 1982

Ferry route: Melbourne - Nadi - Pago Pago - Hilo - Seattle - Amarillo - St Petersburg/Clearwater

Flight crew: Captains F. Boomsma, A. Gloster; Engineers R. Watson, P. Reed

Sold to Midway Airlines Inc

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N936ML - May 01, 1982

Registered to Midway Airlines Inc

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - June 04, 1982

Overhauled by Air International Inc and converted to United States standards

Sold to Seventh HFC Leasing Corp - August 1984

Sold to Pegasus Capital Corp (Pegasus Aircraft Partners) - May 1990

The lease was terminated by Midway Airlines and the aircraft was returned to Pegasus - March 27, 1991

Intended sale to AAA Airlines (Aust) for use on the proposed Melbourne - Sydney - Brisbane shuttle did not eventuate

Registered to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Trustee - July 31, 1992

Leased to Aeronaves de Mexico SA t/a Aeromexico as the registered operator

The aircraft was destroyed at General Lucio Blanco Airport, Reynosa, Mexico - October 06, 2000

It was operating the Aeromexico Flight 250 from Mexico City - Reynosa - Matamosa

Carrying 83 passengers and 5 crew it overran the wet runway on landing

It crashed through some houses and ended up in a ditch, breaking its back, subsequently it was declared a write-off

The captain had more than 10,300 flight hours and had landed at this airport numerous times

For more information regarding this accident click 'HERE'

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - September 29, 2001

Aircraft was scrapped at Reynosa

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-195.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-196.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-197.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1978.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-204.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, January 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-205.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-198.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-083.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-199.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, May 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-200.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1979.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-201.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-202.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, September 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-203.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, December 1980.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-206.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, April 1981.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-207.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 1981.

(R. N. Smith Copyright Image 1135-208.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, April 1981.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-209.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, December 1981.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-536.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-537.)

VH-CZG. Ansett Airlines of Australia - in the 'delta' livery with additional 'Official Carrier Commonwealth Games Brisbane 1982' titles at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, March 1982.

(G. Bennett Copyright Image 1135-538.)

N936ML. Midway - in the original livery at an unknown airport, December 1982.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1135-327.)

N936ML. Midway Metrolink - in the standard livery at Chicago Airport, date unknown.

(G. Bennett Collection Copyright Image 1135-467.)

N936ML. Aeromexico - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, December 1993.