Investigation Summary
The flight departed Lamidanda at 15:08 local time. Shortly after takeoff, the crew was cleared by Air Traffic Control to climb to 10,500 feet. However, ATC subsequently requested that the flight maintain 8,500 feet due to other traffic in the area. According to the investigation, the Captain initially disagreed with this instruction, preferring the higher altitude for terrain clearance. The First Officer, who was the Pilot Flying (PF) for this leg, urged the Captain to comply with the ATC request. The Captain eventually relented and authorized the First Officer to descend to 8,500 feet. This altitude was insufficient to clear the local terrain in the prevailing conditions. As the aircraft entered heavy clouds and haze, the crew lost visual contact with the ground. At approximately 15:30 local time, the aircraft's right wing struck the rocky surface of Palunge Hill at an altitude of approximately 8,900 feet. The impact destroyed the aircraft and scattered wreckage over a 200-square-meter area.
Final Conclusions
The cause of the accident was the unwise decision taken by the crew to descend without taking the harsh mountain terrain into consideration. The flight was conducted in IMC conditions with low visibility, leading to a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT).
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Pilot in Command (PIC)
First Officer
Pilot Flying (PF)
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27
The aircraft was powered by two turboprop engines; no mechanical failure was cited as a factor in the crash.
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
The device was recovered and used to reconstruct the disagreement between the Captain and First Officer regarding the descent altitude.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a 1984-built DHC-6 Twin Otter with serial number 806.
- 02The takeoff weight was 12,280 pounds, which was 220 pounds below the maximum allowable weight.
- 03The wreckage was found at an altitude of approximately 2,700 meters (8,900 feet).
- 04The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was recovered from the crash site.
- 05A separate investigation was launched into ticket irregularities and identity verification failures at check-in.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Ticketing and Immigration Audit
Source ↗Following the discovery that several passengers were flying under false identities, Nepalese authorities launched an investigation into ticketing irregularities and immigration verification failures at domestic airports.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Ticketing Irregularities
Reference ↗Police arrested a travel agent manager following the crash due to allegations of tax evasion and the discovery that several passengers were flying under names not matching their legal identities.