19 fatalities

Buddha Air Flight 103 Crash Near Kathmandu

Bishankhunarayan, Nepal

On September 25, 2011, a BEECH 1900 D operated by Buddha Air was involved in an aviation accident near Bishankhunarayan, Nepal. 19 people were killed. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 15 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

On September 25, 2011, Buddha Air Flight 103, a Beechcraft 1900D (registration 9N-AEK), crashed near Bishankhunarayan, Nepal, resulting in fatal injuries to all 19 occupants.

Accident Details

On September 25, 2011, at approximately 0734 local time (0149 UTC), a Hawker Beechcraft 1900D aircraft crashed near the village of Bishankhunarayan, Nepal. Bishankhunarayan is located about 15 km south of Kathmandu, the capital city. The aircraft was registered in Nepal as 9N-AEK. All three crew members and 16 passengers on board sustained fatal injuries.

Aircraft and Flight

The aircraft was operated by Buddha Air as Flight 103, a scheduled sightseeing flight. It had departed from Tribhuvan International Airport (VNKT) in Kathmandu and was returning to the same airport after completing the sightseeing tour.

Investigation

The Government of Nepal established an investigation commission to investigate the accident. As the state of manufacture, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) designated a U.S. Accredited Representative under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation to assist the Government of Nepal in the investigation. Inquiries regarding the accident are directed to the Director General of Civil Aviation, Civil Aviation Authority, Babar Mahal, Kathmandu, Nepal.