Narrative:
Eastern flight 980 was a scheduled flight from Asuncion (ASU), Paraguay to La Paz (LPB), Bolivia.
The aircraft had reported crossing the DAKON intersection, 55 NM southeast of La Paz, at 25,000 ft. MSL. They were then cleared by La Paz ATC to descend to 18,000 feet, and the crew acknowledged this clearance. Although the Boeing 727 was supposed to be approaching La Paz along airway UA 320, on a 134° radial from the La Paz VOR, it veered significantly off course beyond DAKON; perhaps because the crew were maneuvering to avoid weather in the vicinity. The aircraft impacted the 19,600-ft. level of Mt. Illimani, a 21,000-ft. Andean peak, approximately 26 NM from the La Paz VOR/DME and 25 NM from La Paz runway 09R. Dark night, weather, and lack of visual references in the area all contributed to the crews inability to see and avoid the high terrain in their path.
A climbing expedition was organized the following summer to retrieve the flight recorders. The expedition reached the crash site and was able to dig through accumulated snow and examine the wreckage. However, bad weather and altitude sickness forced the expedition to turn back without recovering the recorders.
Early June 2016 an expedition found parts of the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder containers. Magnetic tape segments that were recovered were not the ¼-inch width tape from a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder.
» Jet-Airliner Unfälle seit 1952 / J. Richter, Chr. Wolf
» Operation Thonapa
» NTSB press release
accident date: 01-01-1985
type: Boeing 727-225
registration: N819EA
| Status: | |
| Date: | Tuesday 1 January 1985 |
| Time: | 20:30 |
| Type: |  Boeing 727-225 |
| Operator: | Eastern Air Lines |
| Registration: | N819EA |
| MSN: | 22556/1793 |
| First flight: | 1982-03-12 (2 years 10 months) |
| Engines: | 3 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17AR |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 19 / Occupants: 19 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 29 / Occupants: 29 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Nevado Illimani ( Bolivia)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 5974 m (19600 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Asunción-Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (ASU/SGAS), Paraguay |
| La Paz-El Alto Airport (LPB/SLLP), Bolivia | |
| Flightnumber: | EA980 |
Eastern flight 980 was a scheduled flight from Asuncion (ASU), Paraguay to La Paz (LPB), Bolivia.
The aircraft had reported crossing the DAKON intersection, 55 NM southeast of La Paz, at 25,000 ft. MSL. They were then cleared by La Paz ATC to descend to 18,000 feet, and the crew acknowledged this clearance. Although the Boeing 727 was supposed to be approaching La Paz along airway UA 320, on a 134° radial from the La Paz VOR, it veered significantly off course beyond DAKON; perhaps because the crew were maneuvering to avoid weather in the vicinity. The aircraft impacted the 19,600-ft. level of Mt. Illimani, a 21,000-ft. Andean peak, approximately 26 NM from the La Paz VOR/DME and 25 NM from La Paz runway 09R. Dark night, weather, and lack of visual references in the area all contributed to the crews inability to see and avoid the high terrain in their path.
A climbing expedition was organized the following summer to retrieve the flight recorders. The expedition reached the crash site and was able to dig through accumulated snow and examine the wreckage. However, bad weather and altitude sickness forced the expedition to turn back without recovering the recorders.
Early June 2016 an expedition found parts of the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder containers. Magnetic tape segments that were recovered were not the ¼-inch width tape from a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder.
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Investigation of Controlled Flight into Terrain : Descriptions of Flight Paths for Selected Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) Aircraft Accidents, 1985-1997 / Robert O. Phillips, U.S. DoT (DOT-TSC-FA9D1-99-01)» Jet-Airliner Unfälle seit 1952 / J. Richter, Chr. Wolf
» Operation Thonapa
» NTSB press release
Photos
accident date: 01-01-1985
type: Boeing 727-225
registration: N819EA
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Asunción-Silvio Pettirossi International Airport to La Paz-El Alto Airport as the crow flies is 1467 km (917 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Asunción-Silvio Pettirossi International Airport to La Paz-El Alto Airport as the crow flies is 1467 km (917 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages: 
Bolivia
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Boeing 727
- 1832 built
- 45th loss
- 35th fatal accident
- 27th worst accident (at the time)
- 42nd worst accident (currently)
Bolivia- 6th worst accident
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