6th June 1992 was the day the air transport community was rocked with an accident that would forever be emblazoned in Copa Airlines' history. Flight 201 was a routine passenger flight from Panama City, Tocumen International Airport, Panama to Cali city, Colombia, Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport and departed aboard a Boeing 737-204 Advanced. Unfortunately, 29 minutes into the flight, the aircraft went through a series of events that saw it crash in the Darién Gap jungle area along the Colombian-Panamanian border. This article examines facts behind the gruesome crash and the conditions under which this fatal air crash occurred.
The Ill-Fated Flight
As Flight 201 departed from the Tocumen International Airport, no one could have anticipated the sequence of events that would bring it to the point of destruction. Boeing 737-204 Advanced with 47 people aboard departed on what was otherwise a normal flight to Cali, Colombia. But just a matter of seconds after cruise altitude was achieved, the aircraft rolled violently, then plummeted sharply towards the earth. The aircraft exploded in mid-air and crashed into the thick jungle below.
Finding the Causes
The accident triggered wholesale inquiry into why Flight 201 fell apart in flight. More seriously, erratic instrument readings were the main culprits. The inertial reference system failed and led the pilots to believe that the airplane was entering a steep bank turn when the bank angle of the airplane was shallow. This created a series of inappropriate control inputs which further destabilized flight.
Poor Training and Human Errors
One of the most disturbing revelations of the investigation was that the flight crew were not properly trained to respond to the extremely hazardous situation they found themselves in. The crew did not learn to recognize and adjust to the particular condition of instrument failure reading and disorienting roll. Lacking training, and under the stress of the moment arriving, it led them to make the fatal errors in attempting recovery.
The Tragic Destiny
Despite heroic was the battle of the crew, the Boeing 737-204 Advanced could not escape its suicidal plunge. The aircraft disintegrated mid-air, and the wreckage was strewn everywhere in the unforgiving jungle of the Darién Gap. Every life of the 47 passengers and crew members on board the flight was lost in the crash.
Legacy and Lessons Learned
The Copa Airlines Flight 201 crash was a stain on the Panamanian aviation record. It was an eye-opener if anything else was to be discovered when it came to proper training, proper communications, and being ready to respond to even the unthinkable of circumstances. The crash initiated sweeping changes throughout the board in airplane safety procedures, training procedures, and flight deck equipment to prevent this kind of crash from occurring again.
Conclusion
This fatal tale of Copa Airlines Flight 201 is a stark reminder of the brevity of life and the devastation caused by air crash disasters. While we lament the loss of lives in this disaster, let us credit them by never forgetting our determination toward more security in the aviation world, experience being the best teacher, and striving for an even safer and secure morn tomorrow in the skies.
