2010 Tara Air DHC-6 crash

2010 aviation accident in Nepal March 2016 9N-AFX (cropped).jpg 9N-AFX, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in April 2010 Accident 2010 12 15 y Controlled flight into terrain due to pilot error Near Shreechaur, Okhaldhunga District, Nepal 27.33 86.42 inline,title De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Tara Air 9N-AFX Lamidanda Airport, Lamidanda, Nepal Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal 22 19 3 22 0 On 15 December 2010, a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter passenger aircraft of Tara Air crashed shortly after take-off on a domestic flight from Lamidanda to Kathmandu, Nepal. The wreckage of the aircraft was found in Bilandu forest near the village of Shreechaur the morning after the crash. All 19 passengers and three crew aboard were killed in the crash. There was initial speculation that bad weather or the overloading of the aircraft might have caused the crash. An investigation into the crash was launched by Nepalese authorities after the accident site was located.16 December 2010 All 22 aboard killed in Tara Air airplane crash http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/12/16/top-story/all-22-aboard-killed-in-tara-air-airplane-crash/326581/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110216074032/http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/12/16/top-story/all-22-aboard-killed-in-tara-air-airplane-crash/326581/ 16 February 2011 14 July 2019 Kantipur Accident thumb|The location of the crash in Shreechaur/Bilandu, Okhaldhunga District, Nepal Five minutes after taking off from Lamidanda Airport at 15:08 local time,Accident description http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20101215-0 3 January 2011 Aviation Safety Network Flight Safety Foundation the left wing of the aircraft impacted land and the DHC-6 crashed. The aircraft was reportedly scheduled to land in Kathmandu at around 15:35, 35 minutes after departure.July 2026 All 19 passengers and three crew members aboard were killed in the crash. There was initial speculation that bad weather caused the crash. The chief executive of Tara Air, Vijay Shrestha, said: "It showed poor visibility at different levels of the atmosphere. Thick haze at lower levels and as thick a cloud higher up could have caused poor visibility."Bhutanese Pilgrims Die In Air Crash http://www.bhutanjewel.com/bhutanese-pilgrims-die-in-air-crash/ 3 January 2011 Bhutan Jewel 17 December 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20110707232121/http://www.bhutanjewel.com/bhutanese-pilgrims-die-in-air-crash/ 7 July 2011 There was also speculation that the aircraft could have been overloaded, but Shrestha refuted these allegations. "The aircraft's maximum take-off weight is 12,500 pounds, while the Twin Otter's take-off weight that crashed killing all 22 on board was 12,280 pounds," he said. "So it was underweight by 220 pounds, the allegation is wrong."Pelden Sonam Tara Air refutes 'overloaded' allegation http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=17821 3 January 2011 Kuensel Online 24 December 2010 June 2016 medicmedic Aircraft The aircraft involved, manufactured in 1984 by De Havilland Canada, was a DHC-6 Twin Otter bearing the registration 9N-AFX with serial number 806. The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 engines. Search operation Helicopters searched for the wreckage of the aircraft on the day of the crash, but were called off during the night because of poor visibility, even though night vision equipment was installed on board. The day after the crash, the Nepalese Army located the wreckage in Okhaldhunga, Nepal, at an altitude of approximately 2700 m ft. All 22 bodies were recovered.Hradecky Simon 16 December 2010 Crash: Tara Air DHC6 near Okhaldhunga on Dec 15th 2010, aircraft impacted mountain http://avherald.com/h?article=434abc9a&opt=0 3 January 2011 The Aviation Herald The wreckage of the aircraft reportedly covered 200 m2 sqft 2, and, according to a police spokesperson, had "broken up completely".All passengers killed in Nepal plane crash https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12000786 3 January 2011 BBC News Online 16 December 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20101217051104/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12000786 17 December 2010 live Investigation Final report from italian article January 2025 yes no An investigation into the crash was launched after the accident site was located. Nepal's Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation formed a group of five investigators to find the cause of the crash. The five were ordered to present a report on the accident by 90 days after the crash occurred.Probe commission formed over Tara Air crash http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Probe+commission+formed+over+Tara+Air+crash&NewsID=269788 3 January 2011 The Himalayan Times 17 December 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20110709111046/http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Probe%2Bcommission%2Bformed%2Bover%2BTara%2BAir%2Bcrash&NewsID=269788 9 July 2011 dead The cockpit voice recorder was recovered from the scene of the accident.Pelden Sonam Investigation underway http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=17822 3 January 2011 Kuensel Online 24 December 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20110929095235/http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?file=article&name=News&sid=17822 29 September 2011 Other investigations A separate investigation was also started into alleged irregularities, which, according to The Himalayan Times included "carrying passengers by issuing tickets in other's name, not verifying identity while checking-in passengers and the process of immigration of the foreign nationals who lost their lives in the crash." Police arrested the general manager of a travel agent based in Kathmandu over suspicions of tax evasion during the sale of tickets for the flight.Nepal air crash probe begins, travel agent arrested http://www.hindustantimes.com/Nepal-air-crash-probe-begins-travel-agent-arrested/Article1-639529.aspx 3 January 2011 Hindustan Times 17 December 2010 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101219225805/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Nepal-air-crash-probe-begins-travel-agent-arrested/Article1-639529.aspx 19 December 2010 See also 2010 in aviation Aviation safety List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft References 30em External links Photos of 9N-AFX on Airliners.net Aviation Nepal Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2010 Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Nepal Category:2010 in Nepal Category:History of Nepal (2008–present) Category:December 2010 in Asia Category:2010 disasters in Nepal Category:Tara Air accidents and incidents