▁several ▁sk ys c rap ers ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁including ▁the ▁Mex icana ▁Airlines ▁Head quarters ▁tower ▁and ▁the ▁Hotel ▁de ▁Mexico . ▁The ▁crew ▁then ▁discussed ▁a ▁suitable ▁place ▁for ▁an ▁emer gency ▁landing . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁time ▁and ▁controls ▁of ▁the ▁plane , ▁both ▁pil ots ▁decided ▁to ▁land ▁the ▁plane ▁at ▁Tol uca ▁- ▁Mexico ▁highway . ▁ ▁A ▁problem ▁developed ▁on ▁the ▁plane ' s ▁landing ▁g ear ▁and ▁caused ▁a ▁short ▁circuit . ▁The ▁short ▁circuit ▁caused ▁small ▁fires ▁on ▁the ▁aircraft , ▁with ▁smoke ▁em itting ▁from ▁its ▁engines . ▁The ▁aircraft ▁then ▁sl ammed ▁onto ▁the ▁highway ▁with ▁its ▁bel ly . ▁The ▁wings ▁struck ▁a ▁high ▁t ension ▁tower , ▁causing ▁a ▁massive ▁black out ▁in ▁a ▁nearby ▁neighborhood . ▁The ▁aircraft ▁fle w ▁under ▁a ▁ped est rian ▁bridge ▁and ▁sm ashed ▁into ▁vehicles , ▁killing ▁some ▁motor ists ▁instantly ▁and ▁hor rib ly ▁inj uring ▁others . ▁The ▁four ▁eng ined ▁plane ▁sk idd ed ▁down ▁the ▁highway ▁and ▁broke ▁into ▁two ▁sections . ▁The ▁tail ▁of ▁the ▁plane ▁separated ▁from ▁its ▁main ▁body ▁and ▁sm ashed ▁into ▁a ▁three - story ▁building , ▁while ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁sk idd ed ▁and ▁impact ed ▁the ▁crow ded ▁Tras ▁L om ita ▁restaurant . ▁It ▁then ▁expl oded ▁in ▁what ▁on look ers ▁described ▁as ▁an ▁" in fer no ". ▁Part s ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁then ▁fle w ▁into ▁a ▁gas ▁station ▁and ▁caused ▁a ▁massive ▁fire