What happened
On New Year's Day in 1985, Eastern Air Lines Flight 980, a Boeing 727 jetliner bearing the registration N310EA, was operating a scheduled international route from Asunción, Paraguay, to Miami, Florida. The aircraft was en route to La Paz, Bolivia, for a planned intermediate stopover.
While descending toward La Paz, the flight crew lost situational awareness regarding their precise altitude relative to the surrounding terrain. The aircraft collided with Mount Illimani at an elevation of 19,600 feet (approximately 6,000 meters). The impact resulted in the immediate destruction of the plane and the death of all 29 individuals on board, including both crew members and passengers.
Investigation
Subsequent inquiries into the accident focused on the circumstances leading to the controlled flight into terrain. Investigators examined the flight path, weather conditions at the time of the crash, and the navigation procedures being utilized by the crew during the descent phase. The investigation aimed to determine why the aircraft struck a mountain peak significantly higher than the intended approach altitude for La Paz.
Findings
The primary factor identified was the failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance during the descent. The collision with Mount Illimani confirmed that the aircraft was below the safe minimum altitude for that specific sector of the approach. This tragic event highlighted critical challenges in navigation and altitude monitoring during international flights in mountainous regions.