Wednesday morning’s air crash was third in the Pokhara-Jomsom sector, whose en-route terrain is one of the most challenging in the world as planes have to fly through the Kali Gandaki gorge between the two 8000-metre mountains—Annapurna and Dhaulagiri.

The wreckage of a Tara Air Twin Otter (9N-AHH), which lost contact with the air traffic controller 10 minutes after take-off at 7:50am, was found at around 1:30pm at Solighopte in Dana VDC of Myagdi.

Pilots familiar with the route said that “bad weather could have been a factor” behind the fatal crash.

Weather was good in Pokhara when the plane took off, but midway through the flight, it encountered poor weather conditions, according to experts. Other contributing factor could be a massive dust cloud from a dry landslide that hit the area on Sunday night, severely affecting the visibility.

The area is also prone to turbulence. “The sudden change in weather pattern in the area might have forced the captain to make a steep climb, and the plane could have veered off the usual flight path,” said an aviation expert, who did not want to be named.

“It’s too early to make definite comments without proper investigation. The captain might have taken a sharp turn in course of gaining height, resulting in a sudden spin. The aircraft would have been stalled, making the pilot lose control,” he said.

Tri Ratna Manandhar, former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, said that after Ghorepani, which lies in the flight path, there are some pockets on the Pokhara-Jomsom route that are prone to turbulence, especially during the February-March period.

Manandhar said there are numerous instances of aircraft being diverted due to powerful turbulences.

An experienced Captain Roshan Manandhar with his co-pilot Dikesh Nemkul had been flying the Viking 9N-AHH Twin Otter, one of the most advanced aircraft operating in Nepal. Imported only six months ago, the Canadian 18-seater had cutting-edge avionics with an integrated full glass cockpit that features an enhanced ground proximity warning system, traffic collision avoidance system and full colour weather radar.

“This is easily one of the most advanced small aircraft in Nepal’s domestic fleet,” said Manandhar.

According to Jasoda Subedi, chief air traffic controller at Pokhara Airport, the plane lost contact after it reached the airspace of Ghorepani in Myagdi.

“The flight captain had last established contact with Pokhara Airport at Ghorepani airspace, from where the Jomsom Airport takes the control of the plane,” Subedi said.

Subedi said Captain Manandhar’s last message was: “See you back, Ghorepani normal. That was his final words from the cockpit.”

The plane did not make any contacts with Jomsom tower thereafter. 

Govt forms probe panel

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on Wednesday formed a five-member committee to investigation into the Tara Air plane crash. Former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Rajesh Raj Dali has been named the chairman of the committee. Nepal Army Colonel Deepak Banstola, Nepal Airlines Captain Shrawan Rijal and Simrik Airlines Engineer Ram Prasad Koirala are the members and Suresh Acharya, joint-secretary at the ministry, is member-secretary. The committee has been given 90 days to submit its report.