What happened
On a scheduled international service departing from Kathmandu-Gaucher Airport, an aircraft was traveling toward New Delhi. The flight departed at 12:21 local time with a total of ten fatalities, comprising six passengers and four crew members. At the time of departure, no weather forecast had been obtained for the route, though the pilot was expected to receive updates from New Delhi during the flight.
The flight was cleared to maintain an altitude of 8,500 feet while flying directly toward its destination. At 13:02 local time, the crew notified the Calcutta FIC that they were approximately 100 miles from their position at the assigned altitude. A subsequent radio transmission occurred at 13:15 local time, reporting a position of 83° East at 8,500 feet. Following this communication, all contact with the aircraft was lost, and ground stations were unable to re-establish radio links.
Search and rescue efforts began on 2 August. On 9 August, investigators located the wreckage situated on a mountain peak at an elevation of 11,200 feet.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the accident occurred because the aircraft drifted north of its intended track into high-altitude mountainous terrain while operating under instrument meteorological conditions.