Aircraft Collision with Mountain Near Surkhet Airport (RAN-26)

Incident Overview and Timeline Four minutes after departing from Surkhet Airport, the aircraft was climbing to an altitude of 5,800 feet. At that point, the captain reported to air traffic control that flight conditions were good and that the aircraft would soon leave the valley. One minute later, while flying in clouds, the aircraft collided with the slope of a mountain located a few kilometers from the airport. The mountain had a height of 6,300 feet. The wreckage was discovered 500 feet below the summit, and all three people on board were killed. ## Official Investigation Findings The official investigation determined that the probable cause was controlled flight into terrain following a wrong altimeter setting. The crew had departed Surkhet Airport under visual flight rules (VFR). During the climb, the captain encountered limited visibility because the mountain that was struck was shrouded in clouds. At the time of impact, the captain's altimeter indicated 7,350 feet, while the aircraft's actual altitude was 5,800 feet.