What happened
On 15 May 2013, a DHC6/3-series Twin Otter, registration 9N-ABO, arrived in Pokhara for an overnight stay to prepare for scheduled charter operations. The following morning, the aircraft departed Pokhara for Jomsom as the second flight of the day's program. On board were 19 passengers and 3 crew members.
During the approach to Jomsom, the pilot in command requested to land on runway 06 instead of the recommended runway 24, despite warnings from the tower regarding a tailwind component. The aircraft touched down on runway 06 at approximately 08:30 local time, significantly past the runway threshold. Following touchdown, the aircraft drifted off the paved surface and onto the grass on the right side of the runway.
As the aircraft decelerated, the co-pilot retracted the flaps as part of standard post-landing procedures without notifying the pilot in command. Simultaneously, the pilot attempted to regain control by applying power to lift the aircraft back onto the runway. However, due to insufficient airspeed and the loss of lift, the aircraft could not maintain flight. The plane exited the end of the runway, struck a barbed wire fence and a gabion wall, and eventually came to rest at the edge of a river, where the left wing became lodged in the water.
Findings
- The pilot in command utilized improper landing techniques and failed to follow appropriate STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) procedures.
- An attempt was made to execute a go-around or lift the aircraft using power without having the necessary airspeed or runway length available.
- There was a critical lack of Crew Resource Management (CRM), specifically regarding the failure of the crew to communicate intentions and coordinate actions during the landing and post-landing phases.