A Boeing 707-441 passenger jet, operated by Varig as flight 810, was destroyed when it crashed into the side of La Cruz Peak, near Lima, Peru. All 80 passengers and 17 crew members were killed. Varig flight 810 departed Rio de Janeiro-Gale?o at 01:53 hours local time on a scheduled flight to Los Angeles (LAX) with en route stops at Lima (LIM), Peru , Bogot  (BOG), Colombia, Panama City (PTY), Panama and Mexico City (MEX), Mexico. At 03:09 local time at Lima, the flight reported to Air Traffic Control, Lima, at 36 000 feet, estimating Pisco at 03:13 and Lima-Callao Airport at 03:36 and requested permission to descend. Lima ATC advised of a DC-6, which had departed Lima at 02:35 and was also estimating Pisco at 03:13 when it would be cruising at 13500 feet. After passing Pisco at 03:13, the crew started their descent. At 03:19 hours flight 810 reached 26000 feet. Authorization was granted to continue descending for a straight-in approach to runway 33. At 03:24 it reported to Approach Control ten minutes from the station, at 15 000 feet, still in descent. By 03:30 hours it had reached 12000 feet over Las Palmas. As it was too high for a straight-in approach to runway 33, Approach Control suggested that it make a 360-degree turn over Las Palmas and report again overhead Las Palmas. The aircraft continued descending. It turned slightly right of its 330 degree heading, passing east of Lima Airport, then made a left turn and passed over Lima-Callao Airport. It continued turning until it was headed south, passing west of Las Palmas in order to initiate the outbound procedure from the ILS back course, and then made a 180 degree turn to intercept the ILS back course (327 degrees). However, it kept to the normal intercept course for almost three minutes before starting its turn to the north. Its heading was 333 degrees when it hit La Cruz Peak, about 8 miles east of the approach track of the Morro Solar ILS back course. PROBABLE CAUSE: “A deviation, for reasons unknown, from the track prescribed for the instrument approach along the ILS back course of Lima-Callao Airport.”