Date & Time:
Jul 10, 1991 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
RAN-26
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Surkhet - Jumla
MSN:
843
YOM:
1988
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Four minutes after his takeoff from Surkhet Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 5,800 feet, the captain informed ATC about good flight conditions and that he was leaving the valley shortly. A minute later, while flying in clouds, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain (6,300 feet high) located few km from Surkhet Airport. The wreckage was found 500 feet below the summit and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain following a wrong altimeter setting. It was determined that the crew departed Surkhet Airport under VFR mode but while climbing, he encountered limited visibility as the mountain struck by the aircraft was shrouded in clouds. At impact, the captain's altimeter showed 7,350 feet while the aircraft's real altitude was 5,800 feet.
