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Summary:
- Date & Location: July 24, 2024, Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal.
- Aircraft: Bombardier CRJ-200 (registration 9N-AME).
- Flight Type: Illegal ferry flight to relocate aircraft for maintenance in Pokhara; carried 17 unauthorized passengers plus two pilots.
- Casualties: 18 dead, including airline senior management; captain sole survivor.
Key Issues Leading to Crash
- Regulatory Violations & Negligence:
- Ferry flight carried unauthorized passengers.
- Cargo loaded improperly including flammable liquids in passenger cabin.
- No flight attendant or safety briefing.
- Skipped essential control checks and maintenance delays.
- Airline had poor safety culture and no quality assurance programs.
- Civil Aviation Authority Nepal (CAAN) lacked oversight, staff, and enforcement.
- Pilot Factors:
- Captain and first officer unaware of incorrect V-speed charts (incorrect rotation speeds).
- Captain rotated aircraft too early and too sharply at takeoff.
- Resulted in stall warning triggered shortly after liftoff.
- Pilots failed to recover from stall; plane entered deep stall and crashed.
- Operational Failures:
- Airline repeatedly financially unstable, poor training and simulator use.
- No internal audits or safety management system effectively implemented.
- Inadequate emergency response at airport; fire services limited access and resources.
- Investigation & Context:
- Nepal has a poor aviation safety record due to terrain but mostly due to poor regulation and oversight.
- No independent accident investigation agency; investigations lack depth and objectivity.
- Post-crash, Saurya Airlines suspended operations and lost operating certificate but tried to restart in 2025 without clear safety improvements.
Underlying Themes
- Culture of disregard for rules and safety within airline management.
- Lack of proper regulatory enforcement by CAAN.
- Need for independent accident investigations and improved safety culture.
- Nepal’s limited resources and competing priorities complicate aviation safety improvements.
The crash was primarily caused by pilot error aggravated by poor airline practices and regulatory failures, leading to a fatal stall shortly after takeoff. The tragedy highlights systemic problems in Nepal’s aviation industry beyond just terrain challenges.
Archive: https://archive.md/Y7Ebw