What happened
Approximately fifty-five minutes after taking off from Arequipa Airport, the aircraft was operating at an altitude of 13,000 feet during a period of marginal weather conditions. During this cruise phase, the airplane collided with the slope of a mountain situated in the vicinity of Cháparra. Emergency response teams were rapidly deployed to the crash site following the impact. Rescue operations resulted in the evacuation of one passenger who sustained serious injuries. Regrettably, 14 other occupants lost their lives in the accident.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the primary cause was the pilot's decision to continue the flight using instrument procedures while flying through overcast conditions. This action directly contradicted established company flight procedures, which evidence indicated the pilot was aware of. The inquiry also identified specific organizational failures as contributing factors. These included a lack of adequate flight dispatch control by the operating company and the failure to establish and maintain written flight and operating procedures that were consistently accessible to guide both pilots and dispatchers.