What happened
During an early morning sightseeing excursion over the Himalayan mountains, an aircraft was conducting a specialized flight for a group of tourists, including passengers from India, the United States, Japan, and Nepal. The flight path included a tour of Mount Everest before the crew began the return approach to Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport.
As the aircraft approached runway 02, the pilot in command received clearance to descend to an altitude of 6,000 feet. However, while operating in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft descended below the assigned altitude. The plane subsequently struck trees in the hilly, forested landscape near the village of Bishanku Narayan, located approximately 6.7 km southeast of the airport. The impact and a subsequent fire resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft.
Of the 19 people on board, 18 fatalities were initially recorded. One passenger sustained serious injuries and survived the initial impact, but later succumbed to their wounds.
Findings
- The aircraft descended below the authorized altitude of 6,000 feet during the approach to the airport.