What happened
Shortly after departing from Surkhet Airport, the aircraft began its ascent, reaching an altitude of approximately 5,800 feet. During the climb, the captain contacted air traffic control to report favorable flying conditions and indicated an intention to exit the valley area soon.
One minute following this communication, the aircraft entered a cloud layer. While flying in these obscured conditions, the plane impacted a mountain slope situated at an elevation of 6,300 feet, located a short distance from the departure airport. The wreckage was subsequently located 500 feet below the mountain's peak. There were three fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
- The aircraft was flying in cloudy conditions at the time of the impact.
- The collision occurred during the climb phase of the flight.