62 fatalities

1989-06-21: De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo (FAP329) — Peruvian Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Perú — Tarma, Peru

Tarma, PeruFlight

On June 21, 1989, a De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo (registration FAP329) operated by Peruvian Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Perú was involved in an aviation accident near Tarma, Peru in flight. 62 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was unable to maintain altitude due to being overloaded beyond its certified capacity and experiencing insufficient engine power. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781213990Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine aircraft crashed into a mountainside northwest of Tarma during its climb, resulting in the deaths of all 62 people on board.

What happened

On the second leg of a journey toward Lima, a twin engine airplane departed from San Ramón-Capitan Alvarino Airport at 17:30 local time. The flight was carrying a total of 57 passengers and five crew members, along with various cargo including animals and wood products.

During the initial climb phase, the pilot notified air traffic control regarding mechanical issues involving the engines and reported an inability to hold the requested altitude. Approximately ten minutes after the departure, the aircraft collided with a mountain slope situated roughly 30 km northwest of Tarma. The impact caused the plane to break apart, and all 62 fatalities were recorded.

Findings

Investigations into the accident revealed that the aircraft was operating significantly over its capacity, as it carried 57 passengers despite having a maximum certification of only 44. The investigation concluded that the primary reason the plane could not reach the necessary altitude was excessive weight from the passenger and cargo load, combined with the crew's inability to achieve full engine performance due to strong atmospheric contributions.

Probable cause

The aircraft was unable to maintain altitude due to being overloaded beyond its certified capacity and experiencing insufficient engine power.