Remembering Those Who Perished in the Aug. 31 1986 Cerritos Air Disaster

Twenty-six years have passed since a Piper Cherokee Archer II and Aeromexico Flight 498 collided in the skies above Cerritos, and claimed the lives of 82 people, destroyed 11 homes and severely damaged seven other residences.

Considered the darkest day in city's history, the Aug. 31, 1986 tragedy shocked everyone in the town we all call home as well as those spanning communities and nations throughout the world. 

But even in the bleakest moments of this catastrophe, the people of Cerritos, its leaders and neighbors stood together, hand in hand, to help bring the community back on its feet from a tragedy that affected the lives of so many. 

On the 25th anniversary of the Cerritos Air Disaster last year, the city of Cerritos held a special ceremony honoring the lives of those who perished as a result of the plane crash, drawing hundreds of community members from the Southland as well families and friends of the deceased victims.

"I thank the Lord that there's people that still remember them, this is going to be forever ... this is in our hearts even though life has to move on," said Mary Guzman whose husband and son were aboard the Aermexico jetliner along with five others in her close-knit circle of family and friends.

Today we remember the survivors, the heroes and those who lost their lives on that fateful day. We shall never forget ...

In Memory of Our Cerritos Families and Friends Who Perished in the Cerritos Air Disaster of Aug. 31, 1986:

Cuauhtemoc Cronkhite

Tonantzin Cronkhite

Xochi Cronkhite

Angelica Estrada

Frank Estrada

Javier Estrada

Freeman Jackson

Juanita Logan

Linda McIllwain

Kelsey Rickard

Laura Rickard

Jennifer Starr

Sandra Starr

Howard Yackytooahnipah

Sharon Yackytooahnipah

In Memory of Those Who Perished in the DC-9 AeroMexico Flight 498 and the Piper Cherokee Archer II Cerritos Air Disaster of Aug. 31, 1986:

Andres Avila

Andres Avila

Rosa Ojeda de Avila

Laura Ballesteros

Carmen Barrero

Thomas Basye

Byron Booker

Aurea Caro

Frank Corella

Mark Corella

Howard Crosno

Robert Crosno

Juan Echeverri

Clemente Espinosa

Iris Ferrufino

Israel Ferrufino

Linda Garcia

Paul Garcia

Dinorah Gonzalez

Hector Gutierrez

Teresa Gutierrez

Joe Guzman

Manuel Guzman

Robert Guzman

Sherryl Harmeling

Sharon Hendricks

Wendy Hendricks

Rosalia Hernandez

Gregorio Huerta

Robert Kaptowsky

Elizabeth Knight

Patricia Knight

Rutilia Knight

Caroline Kramer

Kathleen Kramer

William Kramer

Elva Leanos

Raul Leanos

Carlos Lopez

Carlos Lopez, Jr.

Guadalupe Lopez

Patricia Lopez

Gloria Navis

Christina Pena

Elizabeth Pena

Maria Pena

Oscar Pena

Jesus Reyes

Donald Rush

Fredric Rush

Alma Sanchez

Sandra Stein

Stanley Stein

Diana Sicairos

Gabriel Sicairos

George Sicairos

Richard Sicairos

Arturo Valdesprom

Hector Valencia

Jaime Ventura

Richard Walsh

Donald Winlack

Georgia Winlack

Donald Wong

Jason Wong

Stefan Wong

To read more about the Cerritos Air Disaster, click on the links below featuring articles that were part of the , which takes a historical look back that tragic day, recollections from those who responded to the site of the catastrophe within moments of the accident, as well as reflections from those who helped bring the community back on its feet in the days, months and years that followed.