2001 Peru Cessna 185 shootdown
Civilian casualty by Peruvian Air Force
On 20 April 2001, the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) shot down a civilian floatplane, killing American Christian missionary Veronica "Roni" Bowers and her infant daughter Charity.
While flying into the Loreto Region of Peru, Bowers, her daughter Charity, husband Jim, and six-year-old son Cory were being followed by a United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) observation plane. The Peruvian Air Force was operating as part of the anti-narcotics Air Bridge Denial Program. The CIA did not attempt to identify the tail number of the church-owned plane per procedure.
Events leading to death
In a video released by the CIA, the CIA observers were recorded discussing whether the Cessna A185E (with Peruvian registration OB-1408), which had departed the town of Islandia, Loreto; near the Brazilian border, is a "bandido" (drug plane) or an "amigo" (friendly). A CIA officer told Peruvian Air Force official that it may have been possible to have the plane land in Iquitos for inspection. The FAP pilot warned the Cessna for not having an authorized flight plan, but the pilot did not hear it because he was on a different frequency. As the Peruvian Air Force Cessna A-37B prepared to open fire, a CIA officer said that the plane "doesn't fit the profile", and another CIA official said, "Ok, I understand this is not our call, but this guy is at 4,500 feet and he is not taking any evasive action. I recommend we follow him. I do not recommend phase 3 [shooting the plane down] at this time."
A Peruvian official asked if "phase 3" was authorized, and the CIA official replied asking if he was "sure it's a bandido".
“2001 Peru Cessna 185 shootdown” enters the record as civilian casualty by Peruvian Air Force. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Peru, Cessna and shootdown can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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