Crash of an Avro 748-501-2B in Kathmandu: 15 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1999 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
9N-AEG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Pokhara - Kathmandu
MSN:
1806
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
3Z104
Location:
Kathmandu-Tribhuvan
Bagmati
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
On approach to Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport under VFR mode, the crew encountered limited visibility due to a low cloud layer. On final, at an altitude of about 6,000 feet, the aircraft collided with a radio antenna (100 feet high) located on the top of a hill and owned by the Nepalese National Broadcasting Company. The aircraft went out of control and crashed seven km short of runway 02. All 15 occupants.
Probable cause:
Collision with obstacle on a VFR approach in limited visibility.

Crash of a Short SC.7 Skyvan 3 Variant 100 in Surkhet

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1999 at 0635 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short SC.7 Skyvan Variant
Operator:
Registration:
RAN-19
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1884
YOM:
1970
Location:
Surkhet
Bheri
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 20, the aircraft started to skid. Halfway down, the crew decided to abandon the takeoff procedure but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest in a ravine. Both pilots escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Weather conditions were good at the time of the accident with an OAT of 18° C. and light wind. The Surkhet Airport runway 20/02 is grass and is 3,400 feet long. It was reported that at the time of the accident, the turf was quit high and wet due to the morning dew which was considered as a contributing factor.

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:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Jumla - Nepalgunj
MSN:
208-0235
YOM:
1993
Location:
Jumla
Karnali
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
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:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
9N-ABK
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Kathmandu - Namche Bazar
MSN:
755
YOM:
1975
Location:
Namche Bazar
Sagarmatha
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
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:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Lumbini Airways
Registration:
9N-ACC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Jomsom - Pokhara
MSN:
710
YOM:
1980
Location:
Ghorepani
Gandaki
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
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:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
9N-ACM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kathmandu - Pokhara
MSN:
1549
YOM:
1963
Location:
Pokhara
Gandaki
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
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 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:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kathmandu - Meghauli
MSN:
1771
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
RA155
Location:
Meghauli
Narayani
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
9N-ABI
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kathmandu - Rumjatar
MSN:
392
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
RA133
Location:
Kathmandu-Tribhuvan
Bagmati
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
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:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Pokhara - Jomsom
MSN:
0044
YOM:
1991
Location:
Jomsom
Dhawalagiri
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Kathmandu - Bharatpur
MSN:
7029
YOM:
1984
Location:
Bharatpur
Narayani
Country:
Nepal
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
While descending to Bharatpur Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Too low, the aircraft struck the slope of a rocky peak located about 6,5 km short of runway 15 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all 19 occupants were killed.
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