Boeing-Vertol 234 accident near Pucallpa, Peru, Pe, January 7, 2013
On January 7, 2013 at about 8:02 pm local time, a Boeing-Vertol 234 (helicopter), registered N241CH, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Pucallpa, Peru. It was a positioning flight under non-U.S. commercial rules. 7 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 2013 · about 8:02 pm local time
- Place
- Pucallpa, Peru, Pe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing-Vertol 234 · all 234s on the register
- Registration
- N241CH · registry record · serial MJ016
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On January 7, 2013, about 2002 universal coordinated time (1502 local time), a Boeing-Vertol 234, N241CH, operated by Columbia Helicopters Peru, S.A.C., was destroyed during an inflight breakup and subsequent impact with terrain near Pucallpa, Peru. The U.S. commercial-rated pilot, Peruvian private-rated co-pilot, and five additional company employees of both U.S. and Peruvian nationality were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The sling-load positioning flight had departed FAP Captain David Abenzur Rengifo Interbnational Airport (SPCL), Pucallpa, Peru, about 5 minutes earlier, en route to Cadet FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes Airport (SPST), Tarapoto, Peru, and was operating under Peruvian flight regulations. The investigation is under the direction of the Republic of Peru. For further information contact: Comision de Investigacion de Accidentes de Aviacion (CIAA) Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil Avenida Jiron Zorritos 1203 Lima 1 Peru Central: 6157800 Tel: ( 511 ) 315 - 7800 http://www.mtc.gob.pe/portal/transportes/aereo/ciaa/ciaa.htm This report is for informational purposes, and only contains information released by the Republic of Peru.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft structural failure during enroute defining event
Pilot
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 44
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Honeywell AL5512 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell AL5512 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPCL Pucallpa
- Destination: SPST Tarapoto
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13RA106.