What happened
On December 7, 2002, a Cessna TU206G, registration OB-1180, operated by Aero Pantanal, departed Pucallpa, Peru, for a flight intended to include aerial photography near Aguaytía. Although the operator had previously requested a special flight permit for photography, the civil aviation authority had denied the verbal request, requiring a formal written description that was never submitted.
The aircraft was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at an altitude of 4,000 feet. During the flight, a passenger camera recorded footage showing the aircraft performing steep 60-degree banks through cloud cover. Evidence suggests that one of the right-side doors had been removed to facilitate better filming angles. Following the activation of the aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), search and rescue operations were initiated by the Peruvian Navy, Air Force, and National Police. On December 9, the wreckage was located on a mountainside in the Cordillera Azul at approximately 4,000 feet. All four fatalities (the pilot and three passengers) were confirmed upon the arrival of a ground rescue party.