Aeroperú Flight 603 — airplane crash in Pacific Ocean in October 1996 en route to Chile
All 70 aboard died after maintenance tape left on pitot-static ports fed false altitude and airspeed data to pilots flying over the Pacific at night.
Key Facts
- Date of crash
- October 2, 1996
- Aircraft type
- Boeing 757-23A
- Total on board
- 70 people
- Survivors
- 0
- Cause
- Tape left over pitot-static system ports by maintenance worker
- Route leg at crash
- Lima, Peru to Santiago, Chile
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Prior to departure from Lima, a maintenance worker failed to remove adhesive tape covering the pitot-static system ports on the exterior of the Boeing 757. This blocked the aircraft's air data computers from receiving accurate pressure readings, rendering cockpit airspeed and altitude displays unreliable.
On October 2, 1996, Aeroperú Flight 603 crashed into the Pacific Ocean while flying the Lima-to-Santiago leg of its route. Flying at night over water with no visual references, the crew received false instrument readings and were unable to determine their true altitude or airspeed, losing control of the aircraft.
All 70 people aboard perished with no survivors. The accident prompted heightened scrutiny of pre-flight maintenance procedures, particularly the removal of protective covers and tape from pitot-static ports, and contributed to updated checklists and training protocols at airlines worldwide.