Nepal plane crashed after pilot mistakenly cut power, investigators find

In a devastating incident that took place on January 15th, a Yeti Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara crashed near the airport, resulting in the loss of 72 lives, including two infants. Government-appointed investigators, in their official report, reported that the crash was likely caused by the pilots inadvertently cutting the power, leading to an “aerodynamic stall.” The flight, operated on an ATR 72, marked the third sector of the day for the flight crew, shuttling between the capital and the tourist town. The privately owned plane crashed just 1.5km from the airport, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving hundreds of Nepalese soldiers. Aeronautical engineer Dipak Prasad Bastola, a member of the investigating panel, revealed that the aircraft flew for up to 49 seconds before impact due to its momentum. He explained that the pilots mistakenly placed the condition levers, responsible for power control, in the feathering position instead of selecting the flap lever, causing the engines to run idle. The report highlights contributing factors such as a lack of appropriate technical and skill-based training, high workload, stress, and non-compliance with standard operating procedures. Despite these findings, it emphasizes that the aircraft was properly maintained, had no known defects, and the cockpit crew was qualified according to the regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. International investigators from the US, Canada, France, and Singapore played a crucial role in the investigation. This tragic event adds to Nepal’s history of aviation accidents, often attributed to remote runways and sudden weather changes. Notably, the European Union has banned Nepalese airlines from its airspace over safety concerns for the past decade. Eyewitnesses, including local resident Divya Dhakal, described the horrifying scene as the plane plunged from the sky. Dhakal rushed to the crash site, witnessing the flames and smoke, while helicopters quickly arrived for rescue efforts.