Fatal Crash Involving Textron-Manufactured Aircraft in Peru

A fatal accident involving a Cessna 208 Caravan in Peru has resulted in the deaths of all 13 occupants, according to the nation’s Ministry of Transport and Communications. The aircraft, operated by local tourism carrier Aerodiana, crashed on August 1 during a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines archeological site.

The Ministry confirmed that the single-engine turboprop, registered as OB-2001P, departed from Pisco airport on the west coast with two crew members and 11 passengers. Approximately 50 minutes into the flight, while flying over the town of Socos, the crew transmitted an emergency call to the Nazca airport tower. All radio contact was lost shortly thereafter, and the aircraft was later located in the Vista Alegre district of Nazca.

The airframe involved in the incident is part of the Cessna 208 Caravan series, manufactured by Textron Inc. under its Textron Aviation segment. This utility aircraft is widely used in commercial and special mission operations globally. In recent market activity, Textron Inc. shares were trading at $85.26, reflecting a decrease of roughly 2.0% from the previous close.

Aerodiana stated that it is cooperating fully with authorities to support the investigation. The carrier noted its 18-year operational history and expressed a commitment to assisting the inquiry. The Peruvian aviation accident investigation commission (CIAA) and the directorate general of civil aeronautics have launched procedures to determine the cause of the crash. The ombudsman’s office has called for a swift and independent investigation to establish any administrative, civil, or criminal liability.

This is not the first recent incident for the operator. CIAA records indicate an investigation into an event in January of the previous year involving another Aerodiana Cessna Caravan. In that occurrence, a component failure in the engine’s fuel control unit caused power parameters to exceed operating limits shortly after takeoff. The crew successfully executed an emergency landing without injuries, and investigators found no organisational or structural factors contributed to that event.

What to watch

• Official findings from the CIAA regarding the cause of the emergency transmission.
• Textron’s upcoming quarterly filings for data on regional or utility aircraft segments.
• Any regulatory updates affecting special air transport operations in the region.

Source: original release