Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 25 May 2004
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
Owner/operator: Yeti Airlines
Registration Number: 9N-AFD
Location: W of Lukla – ÿ Nepal
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Yeti Airlines aircraftYeti Airlines aircraft
Category: Accident
A Yeti Airlines aircraft crashed into the Lamjura hill during approach to Lukla due to a captain’s misjudgment of the track and disregard for safety protocols. The captain provided false information to Area Control, leading to hazardous behavior and a failure to comply with regulations. This resulted in the accident.A Yeti Airlines aircraft crashed into the Lamjura hill during approach to Lukla due to a captain’s misjudgment of the track and disregard for safety protocols. The captain provided false information to Area Control, leading to hazardous behavior and a failure to comply with regulations. This resulted in the accident.

Description

Crashed into the Lamjura hill while on approach to Lukla. At that the time of the crash there was heavy cloud buildup over the 3,600 m Lamjura Pass which planes have to cross to get into Lukla. The Nepalese accident investigation committee concluded that the captain provided false information to the Area Control Centre by declaring that he was proceeding south of the track while proceeding along the direct track all the time. Hazardous behaviour and attitudes of the captain like over-confidence, being care free, casual non-compliance of SOPS and violation of regulations had caused the accident, it was concluded said. The committee also raised questions on Yeti Airlines’ policy for flying in adverse weather, diverting philosophy, communications procedures, monitoring of flight crew, the company’s inability to initiate in-house investigations and execute corrective actions when required.

Primary Cause

Captain’s misjudgment of track position and disregard for safety protocols due to over-confidence, carelessness, non-compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and violation of regulations.Captain’s misjudgment of track position and disregard for safety protocols due to over-confidence, carelessness, non-compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and violation of regulations.

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