After an exhaustive eight-month and three-day investigation, the inquiry commission, led by former secretary Nagendra Prasad Ghimire, has definitively identified human error as the principal factor behind the tragic plane crash involving Yeti Airlines in Pokhara on January 15, 2023.
The five-member commission, formed in response to the incident on January 15, submitted its comprehensive report today to Sudan Kirati, the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. Alongside former secretary Ghimire, the commission included aviation expert Nepali Army retired Captain Deepak Prakash Bastola, retired Captain Sunil Thapa, aircraft maintenance engineer Ekraj Jung Thapa, and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Budhisagar Lamichhane, who served as the member secretary.
The report underscores the pivotal role of human error in the Yeti Airlines plane crash that claimed the lives of 72 people on board. Minister Kirati, after reviewing the findings, has directed subordinate agencies to diligently implement the recommendations provided by the Commission.
The pilots mistakenly cutting power leading to an aerodynamic stall, a report issued by a government-appointed investigation panel on Thursday said.
There were 72 people on the twin-engine aircraft including two infants, four crew and 15 foreign nationals. There were no survivors.
Dipak Prasad Bastola, an aeronautical engineer and a member of the investigating panel, said due to lack of awareness and lack of standard operating procedures, the pilots had put the condition levers, which control power, in the feathering position, instead of selecting the flap lever.
However, the Commission did not cite technical errors related to the airport, particularly concerning the Instrument Landing System (ILS).
The Instrument Landing System (ILS), a crucial equipment required for aircraft landings at the airport, was installed only after the handover of the airport.
Jagannath Niroula, a spokesperson for Nepal’s civil aviation authority, confirmed at that time that the Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA) did not have this navigation system in place since it commenced operations on January 1, 2023.
Airport spokesperson Jashoda Subedi had informed epardafas at that time that the device was installed at the airport on February 23, while Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the airport on January 1. The Yeti Airlines plane crashed near the airport on January 15.
During the inauguration of the airport, Chinese officials asserted that it was designed and built according to Chinese and ICAO standards. Ji Rong, Counsellor at the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese foreign ministry, had stated that all standards were met at the airport. However, in reality, the Chinese side missed the installation of the main equipment.
The conclusions emphasize the importance of implementing preventive measures to enhance aviation safety in the future. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the continuous efforts required to improve and uphold the highest standards of safety within the aviation industry.
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28th Dec 2023
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