Country
code

Gandaki

Crash of an ATR72-500 in Pokhara: 72 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 2023 at 1057 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9N-ANC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kathmandu - Pokhara
MSN:
754
YOM:
2007
Flight number:
YT691
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
68
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
72
Aircraft flight hours:
28731
Aircraft flight cycles:
30104
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport at 1032LT on a schedule service (YT691) to Pokhara, carrying 68 passengers and a crew of four. On final approach to Pokhara Airport in excellent weather conditions, the airplane entered a slight pitch up attitude, rolled to the left up to 90° (the left wing apparently stalled) then crashed on the bank of the River Seti, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed and the wreckage was found about 1,9 km short of runway 12 of the new Pokhara International Airport that was open to traffic January 1st, 2023. Part of the debris were found on the top of the hill and others down in the river bed. No one is believed to have survived the crash.
Probable cause:
In a preliminary report, the Nepalese Authorities confirmed the following points:
- At 10:56:27, the PF disengaged the Autopilot System (AP) at an altitude of 721 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). The PF then called for “FLAPS 30” at 10:56:32, and the PM replied, “Flaps 30 and descending”. The flight data recorder (FDR) data did not record any flap surface movement at that time. Instead, the propeller rotation speed (Np) of both engines decreased simultaneously to less than 25%1 and the torque (Tq) started decreasing to 0%, which is consistent with both propellers going into the feathered condition. On the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) area microphone recording, a single Master Caution chime was recorded at 10:56:36. The flight crew then carried out the “Before Landing Checklist” before starting the left turn onto the base leg. During that time, the power lever angle increased from 41% to 44%. At the point, Np of both propellers were recorded as Non-Computed Data (NCD) in the FDR and the torque (Tq) of both engines were at 0%. When propellers are in feather, they are not producing thrust.
- When both propellers were feathered, the investigation team observed that both engines of 9N-ANC were running flight idle condition during the event flight to prevent over torque. As per the FDR data, all the recorded parameters related to engines did not show any anomaly. At 10:56:50 when the radio altitude callout for five hundred feet3 was annunciated, another “click” sound was heard. The aircraft reached a maximum bank angle of 30 degrees at this altitude. The recorded Np and Tq data remained invalid. The yaw damper disconnected four seconds later. The PF consulted the PM on whether to continue the left turn and the PM replied to continue the turn. Subsequently, the PF asked the PM on whether to continue descend and the PM responded it was not necessary and instructed to apply a little power. At 10:56:54, another click was heard, followed by the flaps surface movement to the 30 degrees position.
- When ATC gave the clearance for landing at 10:57:07, the PF mentioned twice that there was no power coming from the engines. At 10:57:11, the power levers were advanced first to 62 degrees then to the maximum power position. It was followed by a “click” sound at 10:57:16. One second after the “click” sound, the aircraft was at the initiation of its last turn at 368 feet AGL, the high pressure turbine speed (Nh) of both engines increased from 73% to 77%.
- It is noted that the PF handed over control of the aircraft to the PM at 10:57:18. At 10:57:20, the PM (who was previously the PF) repeated again that there was no power from the engines. At 10:57:24 when the aircraft was at 311 feet AGL, the stick shaker was activated warning the crew that the aircraft Angle of Attack (AoA) increased up to the stick shaker threshold.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2T Islander in Dhorpatan: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 18, 2011 at 1906 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RAN-49
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Nepalgunj – Kathmandou
MSN:
2191
YOM:
1988
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was performing an ambulance flight from Nepalgunj to the capital city Kathmandu with a patient, one accompanist, two doctors, a nurse and a pilot on board. It crashed in unknown circumstances in a hilly and wooded terrain near Dhorpatan, killing all six occupants.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Pokhara: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 22, 2002 at 1005 LT
Operator:
Registration:
9N-AFR
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Jomsom - Pokhara
MSN:
762
YOM:
1981
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Jomsom Airport at 0941LT for a 25-minutes flight to Pokhara, carrying three crew members and 15 passengers, 13 Germans, one American and one British. While descending to Pokhara Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds. At an altitude of 4,600 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 6 km southwest of the airport, near the village of Kristi Nachnechaur. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all 18 occupants were killed. There was no fire.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew descended too low in poor visibility without maintaining visual clearance with the ground.

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

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1998 at 1124 LT
Registration:
9N-ACC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Jomsom - Pokhara
MSN:
710
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
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:
Operator:
Registration:
9N-ACM
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kathmandu - Pokhara
MSN:
1549
YOM:
1963
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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 a Pilatus PC-6 Porter in Dambusch Pass

Date & Time: May 5, 1960 at 1016 LT
Registration:
HB-FAN
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Dambusch Pass - Pokhara
MSN:
337
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
246
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a supply mission to the Swiss Dhaulagiri Expedition in the Himalaya Mountain Range and was leaving the Dambusch Pass to return to his base at Pokhara when the airplane crashed on takeoff. The right wing and the propeller were bent. While both crew members were uninjured, the airplane was abandoned in situ. Swiss people returned on site (5,200 meters high) in 1998 to recover the airplane that should repatriated in Switzerland. It is believed that a technical issue was the cause of the accident.
Crew:
Ernst Saxer, pilot,
Emil Wick, copilot.