On December 25, 1999, a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter (registration 9N-AFL) operated by Skyline Airways was involved in an aviation accident near Simara, Nepal during takeoff. 10 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew failed to follow the designated departure route and operated at an inadequate altitude, leading to a collision with the mountain. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A twin-engine aircraft crashed into a mountainside shortly after departing Simara Airport, resulting in no survivors among the ten people on board.
What happened
On a scheduled flight from Simara Airport to Kathmandu, a twin engine aircraft departed at 14:57 local time. The flight was carrying a total of 10 occupants. Approximately three minutes into the climb, the aircraft collided with the slope of Mt Burja Lek, situated a short distance from the departure airfield.
The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate upon hitting the terrain. There were 10 fatalities and no survivors reported from the wreckage. At the time of the accident, meteorological conditions were characterized by a low ceiling and visibility estimated at 5 km.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the accident was the result of controlled flight into terrain. The crew did not adhere to the prescribed flight path following takeoff and maintained an altitude that was too low to clear the surrounding landscape.
Probable cause
The crew failed to follow the designated departure route and operated at an inadequate altitude, leading to a collision with the mountain.