Investigation Summary
The flight was a scheduled mountain sightseeing tour that departed and was intended to land at Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport. Despite the presence of monsoon clouds and fog, the crew attempted to maintain visual contact with the ground. As the aircraft approached the Kathmandu valley, it descended to 5,000 feet, which was below the minimum safe altitude of 6,000 feet for that specific sector. The investigation highlighted significant human factors, including the captain's fatigue from the previous day's duties and the first officer's minimal experience, having only 18 hours on the Beechcraft 1900D. The captain had reportedly delegated flying duties to the inexperienced first officer while providing frequent, distracting verbal instructions rather than following standard cockpit procedures. The aircraft struck the roof of a house in Bisankhunarayan before impacting the hillside; however, no injuries or fatalities were reported on the ground. The crash site was located approximately 3 nautical miles (5.5 km) short of the runway 02 threshold and 8 km south-southeast of the airport facility center.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the accident was a result of Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) caused by pilot error. Contributing factors included the crew's failure to adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), poor Crew Resource Management (CRM), and the decision to continue a VFR flight into clouds. The captain's fatigue and the first officer's lack of experience on the aircraft type were also cited as critical factors. The investigation recommended the mandatory installation of Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS) for all airlines operating in Nepal.
Video Analysis
The Everest Sightseeing Disaster | Buddha Air Flight 103 — A detailed look at the 2011 crash of a Buddha Air Beechcraft 1900D during a mountain sightseeing flight in Nepal.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
First Officer
The first officer was flying the aircraft at the time of the accident despite limited experience on type.
Systems & Failure Modes
GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System)
A system designed to alert pilots if their aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into the ground or an obstacle. The investigation found the aircraft lacked this system and subsequently mandated it for all Nepalese carriers.
VFR (Visual Flight Rules)
A set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. The crew improperly continued using VFR after entering clouds.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was 13 years old at the time of the accident.
- 02The aircraft's Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) was UE-295.
- 03The flight was an 'Everest Experience' sightseeing tour carrying 10 Indian nationals, one Japanese, two Americans, and three Nepalese passengers.
- 04The aircraft was flying at 5,000 feet in an area where the minimum assigned altitude was 6,000 feet.
- 05The first officer had only 18 hours of flight experience on the Beechcraft 1900D.
- 06The crash occurred during the monsoon season under conditions of thick fog and heavy rain.
- 07One passenger initially survived the impact but succumbed to injuries while being transported to the hospital.
Safety Actions & Advisories
GPWS Mandate
Investigators required all Nepalese airlines to install Ground Proximity Warning Systems (GPWS) on their aircraft to prevent future CFIT accidents.
Training and Visual Aids
Eight safety recommendations were issued regarding improved pilot training and the installation of additional visual flight aids in mountainous regions.