Low visibility and bad weather may have caused the aircraft that was carrying 22 passengers to crash, preliminary investigation reports and civil aviation officials in Nepal said.
The crash killed all 22 on board, including 18 Bhutanese, on Wednesday.
The Canadian-built Twin Otter aircraft, which belonged to domestic air service operator, Tara Air, went missing 13 minutes after take off. It was to be a 32-minute flight to Katmandu.
Tara Air chief executive officer Vijay Shrestha in an telephonic interview said the initial reports they received stated bad weather conditions.
“It showed poor visibility at different levels of the atmosphere,” he said. “Thick haze at lower levels and as thick a cloud higher up could have caused poor visibility.” An internal investigation team within the Tara Air, however, feels the tip of aircraft’s left wing could have hit the mountain and caused the crash.
“We’ll be able to give accurate information only after the investigations,” Vijay Shrestra said. “That usually takes about two months.”
Nepal civil aviation director general Ram Prasad Neopani said they had not ruled out weather conditions yet, although investigations had not confirmed it.
“It’s suspected that haze developed around the hillsides as soon as it was airborne, and that could have caused the aircraft to hit the hilltop area,” he said. “The hilltop area where bodies were found is at about 9,000 feet.”
The investigation team also found the cockpit voice recorder during recovery operations.
“By 2 pm, all the deceased were helicopter-lifted to Katmandu,” he said.
During a press conference last morning, Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley said around seven bodies were found in a cluster and the rest scattered at the crash site.
“Its very painful and so sudden,” the prime minister said. “I tried talking to some bereaved family members; they are just inconsolable,” the prime minster said, adding that the nation is shocked and saddened by the news.
Lyonchhoen had been in touch with the Nepalese prime minister ever since the report of the crash came in on Wednesday.
“However, after about two hours of attempt to locate and find the crash site, it grew dark,” he said. “The weather was extremely hostile, making search after nightfall difficult.”
Search and rescue operations by the police, military, local people and three helicopters began at dawn yesterday morning.
“They located the site around 6:20 am,” he said. “There were no survivors.”
The Nepalese government, Lyonchhoen said, was very responsive.
“They’re equally saddened and concerned as the government and the people of Bhutan,” he said. “It was a response representing the feelings of solidarity in a moment like this.”
Bhutanese officials, who are in Nepal, are identifying the 18 passengers. They had all used local Nepalese names to avail of the discounts on ticket usually accorded to locals. They were travelling to the Daphu Martika pilgrim site.
Meanwhile, civil aviation deputy chief of airworthiness Sangay Tenzin will leave for Nepal to find out the preliminary cause of the crash.
“It’s too premature to comment on what could have caused the crash,” civil aviation director Phala Dorji said.
Druk Air will leave for Katmandu tomorrow at 7 am to bring home the bodies and will reach Paro at 10 am.
Although investigations have just begun, Vijay Shrestra said they followed international civil aviation standards, even when flying is subject to weather conditions.
He denied any technical problem with the aircraft.
“We operate in challenging conditions, where weather in the mountains changes very fast; but we rule out any technical problem with the aircraft,” he said. “The aircraft is fully airworthy.”
Twin Otters, although sturdy, are not pressurised aircrafts, which means they fly within 8,000-10,000 feet and not beyond.
“They’re the most proven aircraft to be used in such terrain for the last four decades in Nepal, and there’s no substitute for this aircraft,” he said.
Tara Air has been operating domestic services for two years.
Courtesy: Sonam Pelden
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