Date & Time:
Aug 22, 2002 at 1005 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
9N-AFR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Jomsom - Pokhara
MSN:
762
YOM:
1981
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
16
Other fatalities:
0
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.
