On February 8, 1967, a Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter) (registration HB-FAX) operated by Swiss Government was involved in an aviation accident near Kathmandu-Tribhuvan, Nepal during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. 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.
On short final in strong crosswinds, HB-FAX stalled and crashed within the runway threshold. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, with no casualties. The fuel selector's position to the lower tank was reported to have prevented fuel flow due to the aircraft's attitude on approach.
Incident Details
During a short final approach in strong crosswinds, the aircraft stalled and crashed within the runway threshold. The impact occurred before reaching the runway surface, resulting in substantial damage. No casualties were reported.
Aircraft and Fuel System
The aircraft involved was identified by its registration HB-FAX. Investigation revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the lower tank. Because of the aircraft's nose-high attitude on final approach, fuel could not reach the engine from that tank, leading to a loss of power. The stall occurred shortly thereafter.
Outcome
The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Despite the severity of the crash, there were no injuries or fatalities. The reported fuel selector position indicated that fuel starvation likely preceded the stall.