Nepal

Schedule:

Katmandu – New Delhi – Sharjah

MSN:

22168

YOM:

1981

Flight number:

LCI8533

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

43000

Aircraft flight cycles:

25000

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport on a cargo flight to Sharjah with an intermediate stop in New Delhi, carrying five crew members and a load of 21 tons of woolen carpets. After takeoff from runway 20, the crew continued to climb but failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. The aircraft struck the slope of Mt Champadevi located 11 km southwest of the airport and disintegrated on impact. All five crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident occurred as the crew after take off did not adhere to the published Standard Instrument Departure (SID) procedure for runway 20 at Kathmandu, Nepal.
The following contributory factors were identified:
- Incomplete departure briefing given by P1 while other cockpit activities were in progress,
- The unexpected airspeed decay to V 2 -3 during initial right climbing turn South of the VOR which occurred while P2 was busy with ATC,
- The improper power and climb profile used by P1 after rolling the aircraft out on a southwest heading following the initial airspeed loss,
- The inadequate intra cockpit crew coordination and communication as the aircraft proceeded to and across the KTM VOR 4 DME arc before recommencing a shallow right turn, and
- The incorrect and slow response to the initial and subsequent GPWS activation prior to the collision with the terrain.

Crash of a Cessna 208A Caravan I in Jumla: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1999 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 208A Caravan

Operator:

Registration:

9N-ADA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

Schedule:

Jumla - Nepalgunj

MSN:

208-0235

YOM:

1993

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Jumla Airport, en route to Nepalgunj, the single engine aircraft climbed to a height of 450 feet when it rolled to the left, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field near the airport. One pilot and four passengers were killed while seven other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

The following findings were identified:
- The crew failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist,
- The takeoff procedure was initiated with the flaps retracted in the full up position,
- The pilot-in-command started the rotation at an insufficient speed,
- The aircraft stalled during initial climb and the distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient to expect recovery,
- Winds from 25-35 knots were gusting at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter in Namche Bazar: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1998 at 1538 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

9N-ABK

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Schedule:

Kathmandu - Namche Bazar

MSN:

755

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

5762

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport on a positioning flight to Namche Bazar to pick up passengers. During the pre-flight briefing, he was informed about the good weather conditions along the route and at destination. But en route, these conditions deteriorated and upon arrival, clouds were present up to 3,600 metres. He made several circuits expecting weather improvement. Few minutes later, he saw a hole in the clouds and initiated a descent when the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Kongri Himal located 3 km north of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter near Ghorepani: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1998 at 1124 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Lumbini Airways

Registration:

9N-ACC

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Jomsom - Pokhara

MSN:

710

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Jomsom Airport at 1110LT on a 20-minutes flight to Pokhara, carrying 15 passengers and three crew members. While cruising at an altitude of 10,500 feet in good weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain. The wreckage was found two days later and all 18 occupants were killed.

Crash of an Avro 748-106-1A in Pokhara

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1997

Type of aircraft:

Avro 748

Operator:

Registration:

9N-ACM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kathmandu - Pokhara

MSN:

1549

YOM:

1963

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing at Pokhara Airport, the hydraulic system failed. The crew lost control of the airplane that veered off runway to the right and collided with a parked Nepal Airways Avro 748 registered 9N-ACW. All 48 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an Avro 748-352-2B in Meghauli

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1996 at 1158 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 748

Operator:

Registration:

9N-ABR

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Schedule:

Kathmandu - Meghauli

MSN:

1771

YOM:

1979

Flight number:

RA155

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Kathmandu, the crew started the descent to Meghauli Airfield. On final, the aircraft was too high and landed too far down the runway, about 1,148 feet past the runway threshold (Meghauli Airstrip is 3,500 feet). Unable to stop on a wet grassy runway, the aircraft overran and came to rest in a ravine. All 31 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed the aircraft too far down the runway, reducing the landing distance available. Also, it was reported that the braking action was poor as the grassy runway was wet.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Kathmandu: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1995 at 1359 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

9N-ABI

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kathmandu - Rumjatar

MSN:

392

YOM:

1973

Flight number:

RA133

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll on runway 20 at Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport, the aircraft failed to get airborne, overran, went through a fence and came to rest in a field. A passenger and a pilot were killed while all other occupants were rescued.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew was composed by two captains. For unknown reasons, the pilot-in-command decided to abort the takeoff procedure but the crew failed to coordinate this decision. At the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 60 kilos above MTOW.

Crash of a Harbin Yunsunji Y-12-II in Jomsom

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1993

Type of aircraft:

Harbin Yunsunji Y-12

Operator:

Nepal Airways

Registration:

9N-ACS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Pokhara - Jomsom

MSN:

0044

YOM:

1991

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing on runway 24, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went down an embankment and came to rest in the Gandaki River with its right wing torn off. All 19 occupants were rescued, among them both pilots and three passengers were injured.

Probable cause:

For unknown reasons, the crew landed 240 metres past the runway 24 threshold (runway 24 is 600 metres long).

Crash of a Dornier DO228-101 in Bharatpur: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1993

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO228

Operator:

Registration:

9N-ACL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: