Peru Grounds Aerodiana Following Fatal Cessna Caravan Accident

Peruvian aviation authorities have temporarily suspended the operations of Aerodiana, a local air tourism carrier, following a fatal accident involving a Cessna 208 Caravan. The suspension, enacted by the country’s directorate-general of civil aviation, is a preventative measure intended to verify the operator’s compliance with aviation regulations while safety investigations proceed.

The incident occurred on August 1 during a sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines archaelogical site. The aircraft, carrying 11 passengers and two crew members, crashed with no survivors. While the directorate-general focuses on regulatory adherence, the technical investigation is being managed by the Commission for the Investigation of Aviation Accidents (CIAA). Two investigators have been deployed to gather evidence, interview witnesses, and collect records for analysis in Lima.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the aircraft was not equipped with a conventional flight recorder. However, the investigation team is attempting to locate a storage card that may contain positional and operational data. Additionally, air navigation service CORPAC has provided recordings of communications captured by remote systems. The ministry confirmed that air-ground communication systems at Nazca airport functioned normally during the event, and operations at Pisco airport—the departure point and an alternate to Lima’s international airport—continue without disruption.

The Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Textron Inc., specifically under its Textron Aviation segment. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have stated that it is not yet possible to determine the specific causes of the crash.

What to watch

• Findings from the CIAA investigation regarding the cause of the crash.
• Duration of Aerodiana’s operational suspension pending regulatory checks.
• Textron Inc. delivery data and service bulletins related to the Caravan fleet.

Source: original release