What happened
During an early morning sightseeing excursion over the Himalayan mountains and Mount Everest, an aircraft was returning to Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport. The flight, which included a group of tourists from India, the United States, Japan, and Nepal, was cleared to descend to 6,000 feet for landing on runway 02. However, while operating in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft descended below the required altitude.
The aircraft entered a cloud layer at approximately 5,000 feet MSL, leading to a loss of visibility. During this phase of flight, the plane struck treetops in hilly, forested terrain located roughly 6.7 km southeast of the airport near the village of Bishanku Narayan. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft. Of the occupants, 18 fatalities occurred immediately, with one passenger suffering serious injuries; unfortunately, the sole survivor later succumbed to their wounds, bringing the total death toll to 19.
Findings
An investigation by Nepal's Accident Investigation Commission identified pilot fatigue as a primary contributing factor. The captain had been assigned to the flight on short notice after operating another aircraft the previous day, leaving him with insufficient rest. Due to this exhaustion, the captain delegated pilot flying duties to the first officer, who possessed only 18 hours of experience on this specific aircraft type.
Investigators determined that the crew failed to adhere to standard operating procedures. Specifically, the captain's frequent interruptions and advice distracted the first officer during the approach. Furthermore, the flight crew did not maintain the required altitude of 6,000 feet MSL in the accident area. The commission's report also highlighted the need for improved safety measures, including the installation of Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS) across all operators.