Karnali | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The single engine aircraft departed Surkhet Airport at 0612LT on a cargo flight to Simikot. At 0627LT, the crew made his last radio transmission with Nepalgunj Tower. About 18 minutes later, while cruising by night at an altitude of 12,800 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near the Simikot Pass, some 12 km from Simikot Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The Commission determines the most probable cause of this accident was to continue the flight despite unfavorable weather conditions resulting inadvertent flight into instrument
meteorological conditions and there by deviating from the normal track due to loss of situational awareness that aggravated the spatial disorientation leading to CFIT accident. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Possible effect of hypoxia due to flight for prolonged period in high altitude without oxygen supplement,
- Ineffective safety management of the company which prevented the organization from identifying and correcting latent deficiencies in risk management and inadequacies in pilot training.

Final Report:

Crash of a Pacific Aerospace 750XL in Chilkhaya: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 2016 at 1305 LT

Type of aircraft:

PAC 750XL - Pacific Aerospace Corporation

Operator:

Registration:

9N-AJB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Nepalgunj - Jumla

MSN:

160

YOM:

2009

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single aircraft departed Nepalgunj at 1230LT bound for Jumla. About 35 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and attempted an emergency landing in a field. The aircraft eventually collided with an earth bank and came to rest near the village of Chilkhaya. Both pilots were killed and all 9 passengers were injured. The aircraft destroyed.

Crash of a Dornier DO228-202K in Simikot

Date & Time: Jun 1, 2013 at 0714 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO228

Operator:

Registration:

9N-AHB

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Nepalgunj - Simikot

MSN:

8169

YOM:

1989

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was completing a charter flight from Nepalgunj to Simikot, carrying two pilots and five passengers. On approach to Simikot Airport, ground fog and low visibility forced the crew to initiate a go-around procedure. A second and a third attempt to land were abandoned few minutes later. During the fourth attempt to land, without sufficient visual contact with the ground, the crew continued the approach, passed through the clouds when the aircraft landed hard short of runway 28. Upon impact, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft slid for few dozen metres, veered to the right and came to rest on the right side of the runway with its left wing broken in two. All seven occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Talcha

Date & Time: Nov 21, 2011 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Operator:

Registration:

9N-AJM

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Nepalgunj – Talcha

MSN:

208B-0561

YOM:

1996

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After landing on runway 36 at Talcha Airport, the single engine aircraft veered off runway, went down an embankment and came to rest against a house down the runway. All 12 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Downdrafts on final approach were reported, and the aircraft seemed to be unstable prior to landing.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Jumla: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 2006 at 1203 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Operator:

Registration:

9N-AEQ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Nepālganj – Surkhet – Jumla

MSN:

708

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

23392

Aircraft flight cycles:

36092

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Nepālganj Airport on a domestic service to Jumla with an intermediate stop in Surkhet, carrying six passengers, three crew members and a load consisting of bags containing grains for a total of 941 kilos. While approaching Jumla Airport, the crew was informed that runway 27 was in use with a wind from 240 at 4 knots. For unknown reasons, the captain started the approach to runway 09 at 1201LT. At an excessive speed, he missed the runway, initiated a go-around procedure and passed to the right of the tower. Then, he started a steep turn to the left when the aircraft lost height and speed and crashed in a field located 500 meters east of the airport, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 9 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The crew's attempt to make a sudden go-around while close to runway 09 threshold with a very low circuit altitude and subsequent attempt to turn in a tight circuit with excessive angle of bank that led to a stall. The aircraft subsequently contacted terrain due to insufficient clearance available for effective stall recovery. The quick decisions to change runway added to the crew workload at a critical period which was aggravated by the breakdown of cockpit discipline. The other contributory factors leading to the accident were:
- Violation of company Standard Operating Procedures by flight crew,
- Insufficient monitoring of its flight training program and line operations by Yeti management,
- Inadequate oversight of Yeti Airlines by CAAN.

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:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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.