Date & Time:
Oct 8, 2008 at 0731 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
9N-AFE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kathmandu – Lukla
MSN:
720
YOM:
1980
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
16
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
18
Captain / Total hours on type:
7180
Copilot / Total hours on type:
341
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport at 0651LT on a regular schedule service to the Lukla-Tenzing-Hillary Airport. On approach to runway 06, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Despite the pilot did not establish any visual contact with the ground, he continued the approach when, on short final, the aircraft struck a rock and crashed just below the runway 06 threshold, bursting into flames. The captain was seriously injured while 18 other occupants were killed, among them 12 Germans, 2 Australians and 5 Nepalese.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the captain decided to continue the approach under VFR mode in IMC conditions.
