A small tourist plane crashed on Saturday while flying over the Nazca Lines archeological site in southern Peru, resulting in 13 fatalities, according to authorities in Nazca province.
Peru’s Ministry of Commerce and Tourism released a statement confirming that the aircraft was carrying 11 foreign tourists along with two crew members. Local officials indicated that the plane went down near Pueblo Viejo, approximately 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) from Nazca city and around 12 kilometers (roughly 7 miles) from the Nazca Lines themselves.
The aircraft was operated by the regional Peruvian airline Aerodiana and had departed from Pisco Airport. The airline has yet to comment on the incident. Reports from police suggest the crash happened at 12:55 p.m. local time while the plane was on a sightseeing trip and was preparing to return.
Following the crash, the aircraft ignited and was engulfed in flames, preventing rescue efforts from reaching survivors, according to local broadcaster RPP. Emergency responders, including firefighters and municipal police, are on-site working to extinguish the fire and conduct initial rescue operations.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and authorities have announced investigations are underway. Social media footage shows a smoking wreck on the dry plains, but Reuters could not independently verify these images.
The Nazca Lines are famous for their large-scale geoglyphs and geometric figures carved into desert plains. They are a major tourist attraction, drawing around 100,000 visitors annually who typically explore the site via small aircraft. Flights over the Nazca Lines from nearby María Reiche Airport were suspended the previous day due to high winds exceeding 40 kilometers per hour (about 25 mph), which stirred dust and limited visibility.
The adverse weather caused diversion of two tourist planes—one carrying two Peruvians and another with six foreigners—to Marcona Airport, according to local media outlets.
A passenger plane landed at Heathrow Airport in London, UK, on January 5, 2022, according to Reuters.
On Sunday, a plane crash in Butler, Missouri, resulted in the deaths of twelve individuals, the Missouri Highway Patrol announced on social media. The crash happened near Butler Memorial Airport.
Current reports confirm that all twelve people on board lost their lives. The victims included eleven skydivers and the pilot, a spokesperson from Bates County Emergency Management told Fox4.
Butler is approximately 60 miles south of Kansas City, Missouri. Emergency services and officials from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are on site, according to reports.
A private helicopter crashed into a dense forest on Indonesia’s Borneo island, resulting in the deaths of two crew members and six passengers, according to the transportation department. The Airbus helicopter, operated by local company Matthew Air Nusantara, lost contact with air traffic control about five minutes after takeoff in the West Kalimantan province on Thursday morning. All eight individuals onboard were men, including one Malaysian national, stated Civil Aviation Director General Lukman F Laisa.
The joint search and rescue team successfully identified the crash site late Thursday evening in a rugged forested area characterized by steep slopes. The victims’ bodies are now being transported to Pontianak, the provincial capital. Indonesia, an expansive archipelago in Southeast Asia, heavily depends on air travel to link its thousands of islands. However, the country has a history of poor aviation safety, with numerous deadly incidents in recent years. In January, a chartered turboprop operated by the fisheries ministry crashed into a mountain on Sulawesi, killing all 10 on board. Last September, a helicopter with six passengers and two crew members went down in South Kalimantan, resulting in fatalities. Less than two weeks later, another helicopter crash in Papua’s Ilaga district claimed four lives.
A UPS aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport en route to Honolulu, according to the FAA. The incident occurred around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, November 4. Police reports indicate injuries have been reported, although the specific number or severity is not yet confirmed.
Louisville’s airport hosts UPS Worldport, the company’s largest global air cargo hub. Aerial footage shows fires ignited on the ground, with flames spreading across nearly a mile, creating an orange-red glow visible from above as night approached.
The Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed they are responding to the crash site, with injuries reported. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear shared an update on social media, urging prayers for the pilots, crew, and those impacted, stating that first responders are on scene and more information will follow.
UPS has acknowledged the incident involving one of its aircraft but has not released details about injuries or casualties. The crash site remains active with ongoing emergency response efforts.
A fire officer stands next to the wreckage of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, India, on June 13, 2025. — Reuters
The Boeing 787 crash resulted in the deaths of 260 individuals last month.
The pilots were experienced, but it’s unclear why the fuel switches activated.
One pilot questioned the other about shutting off the fuel.
A preliminary report has revealed confusion in the cockpit moments before an Air India jetliner crashed, leading to 260 fatalities last month. The plane’s engine fuel cutoff switches appeared to have flipped almost simultaneously, cutting fuel to the engines.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was on its way to London from Ahmedabad when it suddenly lost thrust and began to descend, according to Indian accident investigators who released their findings on Saturday—the deadliest aviation incident in a decade.
This report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) about the June 12 crash shortly after takeoff raises concerns over the positioning of the vital engine fuel cutoff switches, suggesting that neither Boeing nor the engine manufacturer GE was at fault.
The crash poses a significant challenge for Tata Group as it seeks to enhance Air India’s image and modernize its fleet after acquiring the airline from the government in 2022.
CCTV footage shows that shortly after takeoff, a backup energy device known as a ram air turbine deployed, indicating a loss of engine power.
In the flight’s last moments, one pilot is heard asking the other why he had cut off the fuel, to which the co-pilot replied that he hadn’t done so, according to the report. The report did not specify which comments were made by the captain or the first officer, nor did it clarify who issued the “Mayday” call just prior to impact.
The pilot in command was Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, with over 15,600 flight hours and known to have served as an instructor for Air India. His co-pilot, Clive Kunder, 32, had approximately 3,400 flight hours.
The fuel switches were found to have flipped from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ just after takeoff. The preliminary report did not explain how this could have occurred during the flight.
Aviation experts have raised doubts about the likelihood of a pilot unintentionally moving the fuel switches. “If they were moved by a pilot, the question is why?” questioned U.S. aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse.
The report indicated that the switches were activated just a second apart, which aligns with the time it would take to toggle each one manually, as noted by aviation expert John Nance. He remarked that a pilot typically would never switch off the fuel during ascent.
Activating the cutoff switch almost immediately halts the engines and is generally used to turn off engines once a plane has arrived at the gate or in specific emergencies, such as an engine fire. The report did not mention any emergency situation necessitating an engine shutdown.
At the crash site, both fuel switches were discovered in the ‘run’ position, and there were indications that both engines relit before the crash at low altitude. The report was published at 1:30 AM IST on Saturday (8:00 PM GMT Friday).
Air India has acknowledged the report in a statement, noting their cooperation with Indian authorities but refraining from further comments.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board expressed gratitude to Indian officials for their collaboration and stated that no recommended actions were aimed at operators of Boeing 787s or GE engines based on the report.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration emphasized its commitment to following the facts of the situation and addressing any identified risks promptly.
Boeing stated that it would continue to support the investigation and its client, Air India. GE Aerospace has yet to respond to inquiries for comment.
Investigation Developments
The AAIB, part of India’s civil aviation ministry, is leading the investigation into the crash, which claimed nearly all 242 lives on board plus an additional 19 individuals on the ground.
Most aviation accidents are attributed to multiple factors, with a preliminary report required within 30 days of the incident per international guidelines and a final report expected within a year.
The aircraft’s black boxes, which include cockpit voice and flight data recorders, were retrieved shortly after the crash and later analyzed in India. These devices provide essential data such as altitude, airspeed, and final communications between pilots, which narrow down potential causes of the accident.
Air India has faced heightened scrutiny following the crash.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency plans to investigate Air India Express, its budget airline, after reports emerged that the carrier failed to swiftly comply with directives to change engine components of an Airbus A320 and had falsified records to indicate adherence.
India’s aviation regulatory body has also reprimanded Air India for violating rules regarding the operation of three Airbus aircraft with overdue escape slide checks, and in June, it was warned about “significant violations” related to pilot duty hours.
India is optimistic about an aviation boom to fuel broader development goals, aiming to transform the country into a job-generating global aviation hub similar to Dubai, which currently manages a significant portion of its international traffic.
