Copa Airlines Flight 201
HP-1205-CMP, the aircraft involved in the accident, in April 1992 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 June 1992 |
| Summary | Instrument malfunction leading to spatial disorientation and pilot error; loss of control resulting in in-flight breakup |
| Site | Darién Gap, near Tucutí, Panama 7°54′42″N 78°1′18″W / 7.91167°N 78.02167°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737-204 Advanced |
| Operator | Copa Airlines |
| IATA flight No. | CM201 |
| ICAO flight No. | CMP201 |
| Call sign | COPA 201 |
| Registration | HP-1205CMP |
| Flight origin | Tocumen International Airport |
| Destination | Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport |
| Occupants | 47 |
| Passengers | 40 |
| Crew | 7 |
| Fatalities | 47 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Copa Airlines Flight 201 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama, to Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali, Colombia. On 6 June 1992, the Boeing 737-204 Advanced operating the route rolled, entered a steep dive, disintegrated in mid-air, and crashed into the jungle of the Darién Gap 29 minutes after takeoff, killing all 47 people on board. The in-flight breakup was caused by faulty instrument readings and several other contributing factors, including incomplete training.
Flight 201 is the deadliest accident in Panamanian aviation history, and the only fatal crash in the history of Copa Airlines.