The crash of the Saurya Airlines plane in Kathmandu is a major event that points to the continuing critical state of Nepal’s aviation industry. Precisely, it was a regional jet CRJ-200 that generally holds around 50 passengers. The group it carried was relatively small, which consisted mostly of technicians, probably because it was a maintenance-related flight. The incident happened on the 24th of July, taking the lives of 18 people, leaving one, i.e. the pilot injured. He was the only person to survive the devastating crash. The injured pilot suffered form an eye injury but is otherwise stable as per the doctor’s reports.
What is most worrying is that the plane crashed just during its takeoff. In fact it took off at 11;11 in the morning, and was on its way to Pokhara from Kathmandu. After take off the plane had taken a right turn when it crashed in the airport’s eastern section.
Takeoff and landing are undoubtedly the two most critical stages of any flight, and any accident at these times usually turns out to be very bad. Actually, the report on the plane veering right before it crashed may suggest probable directional control malfunctioning or maybe even an engine failure, though this will still have to be speculative until the full investigation is carried out.
Nepal has experienced a number of accidents throughout its aviation history. Geographically, Nepal consists of very high mountains with rapidly changing weather conditions, which creates a challenge for flying. Most of the airports in Nepal lie in remote, mountainous areas, which is another factor complicating the operations.
This incident comes after another tragic crash in Nepal only recently. In January 2023, a Yeti Airlines flight crashed, killing 72 people. That accident had been previously attributed to pilot error: the pilots mistakenly cut off the power. Such incidents underline the need for proper training and adherence to safety protocols.
Prominently involved in the crash were maintenance technicians. In as much as airlines do fly aircraft into maintenance facilities, this is a massive loss of highly competent workers that can be a heavy blow to the airline and, probably, to the larger aviation industry in Nepal.
For long, the international community of aviators has expressed concerns over Nepal’s air safety record. This will certainly reopen calls for stricter oversight and perhaps international assistance to improve aviation safety standards in the country.
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As investigations go on, investigators are likely to concentrate on some areas: first, the maintenance history of the aircraft; second, training and experience of the pilots; third, weather conditions at the time of the crash; and last, possible mechanical faults of the aircraft. If recovered, the data and voice recorders would provide critical information on the sequence of events leading to the crash.
It is a sobering reminder of the risks that go along with flying, much more so when operating in a demanding environment. It is also a call for continued raising of standards in safety and training for pilots. Coming to this crash, the bodies have been sent for autopsy.