Cause of deadly Nepal plane crash revealed after government probe
The CRJ-200LR aircraft, operated by Nepal 's Saurya Airlines, went down shortly after departing Kathmandu in July 2024.
All 17 passengers and the co-pilot perished in the incident, with only the captain surviving, likely because the cockpit got stuck on a container.
The flight was bound for Pokhara, Nepal's second-largest city and a major tourist gateway for trekking and adventure sports.
Saurya Airlines said that of the total on board, 18 were Nepali citizens while one engineer was from Yemen.
The report, issued on Friday, attributed the crash to a "deep stall during take-off because of abnormally rapid pitch rate commanded at a lower-than-optimal rotation speed".
Aviation expert Nagendra Prasad Ghimire said that the aircraft made a premature takeoff before gaining the necessary speed.
The report said errors in a speed card – a document that provides important airspeed information for a specific aircraft, particularly during takeoff, climb and landing – had gone unnoticed.
It said the airline had failed to address previous cases of a high pitch rate – the rate at which an aircraft's nose rotates up or down – during take-off.
There had been gross negligence and non-compliance by the operator during the entire process of cargo and baggage handling, it said.
It recommended all operators review their speed cards and comply with the requirements of cargo and baggage handling.
The panel also asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to review the procedure for permitting non-scheduled flights.
CAAN spokesman Babu Ram Paudel declined to comment, saying he had not seen the report.
Saurya Airlines will do "everything necessary" to implement the recommendations, operation manager Bivechan Khanal said.
The crash focused attention on the poor air safety record of landlocked Nepal, which is heavily dependent on air connectivity.
In 2013 the European Union, citing safety concerns, banned air carriers certified in Nepal from flying the European sky.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
18-07-2025
- The Independent
Cause of deadly Nepal plane crash revealed after government probe
Faulty information regarding an aircraft's takeoff speed led to a passenger plane crash in Nepal in 2024 that claimed 18 lives, a government-appointed investigation panel has concluded. The CRJ-200LR aircraft, operated by Nepal 's Saurya Airlines, went down shortly after departing Kathmandu in July 2024. All 17 passengers and the co-pilot perished in the incident, with only the captain surviving, likely because the cockpit got stuck on a container. The flight was bound for Pokhara, Nepal's second-largest city and a major tourist gateway for trekking and adventure sports. Saurya Airlines said that of the total on board, 18 were Nepali citizens while one engineer was from Yemen. The report, issued on Friday, attributed the crash to a "deep stall during take-off because of abnormally rapid pitch rate commanded at a lower-than-optimal rotation speed". Aviation expert Nagendra Prasad Ghimire said that the aircraft made a premature takeoff before gaining the necessary speed. The report said errors in a speed card – a document that provides important airspeed information for a specific aircraft, particularly during takeoff, climb and landing – had gone unnoticed. It said the airline had failed to address previous cases of a high pitch rate – the rate at which an aircraft's nose rotates up or down – during take-off. There had been gross negligence and non-compliance by the operator during the entire process of cargo and baggage handling, it said. It recommended all operators review their speed cards and comply with the requirements of cargo and baggage handling. The panel also asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to review the procedure for permitting non-scheduled flights. CAAN spokesman Babu Ram Paudel declined to comment, saying he had not seen the report. Saurya Airlines will do "everything necessary" to implement the recommendations, operation manager Bivechan Khanal said. The crash focused attention on the poor air safety record of landlocked Nepal, which is heavily dependent on air connectivity. In 2013 the European Union, citing safety concerns, banned air carriers certified in Nepal from flying the European sky.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- BBC News
How to 'weatherproof' your next holiday
Beyond extreme weather or medical emergencies: some insurers now offer payouts for rain, heatwaves or "inconveniences" that spoil your trip. The 18 hikers who flew into Nepal in September 2024 were prepared for the trek of a lifetime: a journey to Everest Base Camp. But just a day before their flight to Lukla, heavy rain began falling across the Kathmandu Valley. "Within 24 hours, the capital recorded its heaviest rainfall since 1970," said Balaram Thapa, CEO of Nepal Hiking Team, who was leading the trek. "Roads were submerged, bridges damaged, and all Lukla flights were grounded for a full week. We were never in immediate danger, but the trip became impossible."Though some of the hikers had travel insurance that reimbursed them for expenses like cancelled flights or additional hotel nights in Kathmandu, none of their policies would have covered the full cost of a completely rained-out bucket list trip. That might soon change. As extreme weather events grow more frequent – from torrential rain in India to scorching heatwaves in Europe – a new type of travel insurance is emerging. These protections go beyond covering catastrophes, offering compensation for milder but still trip-ruining weather events like extreme rain or heat. "The thing that people really worry about in most cases is their trip being rained out," said Daniel Price, co-founder of WeatherPromise, a company that offers their global customers payouts if it rains more than a set number of hours during a booked stay. "The number one factor that causes someone to come back and say 'that wasn't a great trip' is if it pours and you didn't get to sit on the beach [like you'd planned.]" The company, which also recently partnered with Marriott's Home and Villas brand to offer rain protection, is now exploring coverage for extreme heat, spurred by recent heatwaves across Europe and the US. "What [we're] about is really giving people the confidence, the comfort and the ability to travel all over at different times of the year," said Price. It's all part of a wider shift in the travel insurance industry. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, travellers have increasingly opted to take out coverage. And while traditional policies remain geared towards covering big, unexpected disruptions like hospitalisation or cancelled flights, new products are catering to travellers who want more flexibility – and more peace of mind. These new offerings can range from flat-rate payments for "travel inconvenience," such as missing a scheduled port on a cruise ship through no fault of your own, to coverage that allows cancellations for any reason at all; an add on service which has become increasingly popular post-Covid-19. "For example, a traveller may be accustomed to certain conditions like having air conditioning in their hotel," explained Chrissy Valdez, senior director of operations for travel insurance comparison site SquareMouth. "So, it may come as a surprise when they check into their hotel in Europe [and] the air conditioning is not working, or there is no air conditioning. [But] there are benefits that would allow them to interrupt their [trip] because they're just not comfortable where they're staying." More like this:• Will you be going on holiday to… Greenland next year?• Four countries that are actively welcoming travellers• Are you really helping when you join an 'expedition tour'? Still, not all expanded policies are equal. What is covered and what is required to file a claim varies by provider. Therefore, it's still important for travellers to check the fine print, including confirming things like what weather qualifies, how much rain counts and what documentation is needed to make a claim. Valdez also warned that as unexpected weather becomes the norm, some insurers may tighten their coverage definitions. "There are underwriters looking at the definition of 'extreme' weather or 'inclement' weather," she said. "I can't say for certain if this is going to benefit the consumer or if they're going to look at it as a higher risk and possibly define those things even stricter than what they do today." With unpredictable shifts in weather patterns only expected to continue, these new insurance products may offer at least some protection against the frustration of a ruined trip. "As a Himalayan trek leader with over 20 years of experience, I'm seeing this type of disruption happen more often," said Thapa. "[It seems that] travel insurance is still catching up to what 'disruption' really means." --
The Independent
15-07-2025
- The Independent
Southend plane crash: Everything we know as victims named and airport closed
Southend Airport remains closed after a small aircraft crashed close to the runway and burst into flames, killing four people. Maria Fernanda Rojaz Ortiz, 31, a German citizen born in Chile, was reportedly on her first day as a flight nurse on board the small aircraft when it came down in an explosion after take-off on Sunday afternoon (13 July). A Dutch pilot and co-pilot, along with one other person, were also on the Beech B200 Super King Air, operated by Zeusch Aviation, which specialises in medical evacuations.
