Synopsis

TANS Peru Flight 204 was a domestic scheduled service flight using a Boeing 737-200 from Lima-Pucallpa to Iquitos, which crashed on approached to Pucallpa Airport. After 312 days of investigation the Aviation Safety Network determined that pilot error was the main cause of the accident. The pilots did not following the standard procedures under adverse weather conditions. Sadly as a result 40 of the 98 occupants onboard died. TANS Peru Flight 204 is ranked among the deadliest accidents in 2005 according to Aviation Safety Network. It was also the second major crash involving a TANS Peru airplane in just over two years.[¹]

Sequence of Events

On the 23rd August 2005 at 14:24 TANS Peru 204 departed Lima on a scheduled 53-minute flight to Pucallpa. It was scheduled to land at Pucallpa for a short stop over then continue on to its final destination Lquitos.

At 14:52 The pilot’s carried out a decent towards Pucallpa, with the aim of carrying out a visual approach for landing runway 02. With the knowledge their was an unusual cold front developing in the vicinity along with towering cumulus clouds hanging around the airport.

While continuing it’s approached into Pucallpa, Flight 204 experienced strong winds with heavy rainfall. Instead of diverting to another airport it continued on with its approach.

The plane started a rocking motion on its final approach, realizing it could not land the pilots attempted an emergency landing. However, the pilots lost situational awareness and crashed into a swamp. [²]