Sita Air Flight Crashes in Nepal, 19 Killed
Sita Air Crash
A Sita Air plane bound for Lukla, Nepal crashed this morning in Nepal killing all 19 on board as the plane burst in to flames.
The Dornier aircraft reportedly hit a bird just after takeoff and crashed on a river bank a short time later.
The Hindu reports:
‘According to TIA general manager Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, preliminary investigations showed that the aircraft hit a bird while taking off. The Air Traffic Control had given the plane clearance at 6.17 a.m. local time. A minute later, pilot Bijay Tandukar reported a bird had hit an engine and he would attempt an emergency landing back at the airport on a single engine. He was, however, unable to do so and the aircraft crashed a few hundred metres away from the runaway on the river banks, near a squatter settlement.
“In such a situation of single engine failure in a twin-engine aircraft, if the plane has reached a safe altitude and attained a certain speed, it can continue to fly while the pilot plans his next move. This is conjecture, but in today’s case, the pilot seems to have panicked as is natural under the circumstances. He may have tried a turn a little too early and too low,” aviation expert Hemant Arjyal told The Hindu’
Reports also indicate the plane burst in to flames after crash landing and that passengers could be heard screaming indicating some may have died of burns rather than the impact. This is still be confirmed.
A full investigation is expected to commence.
Category: Airnation
Comments (10)
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What a horrific story…
What kind of A/P?
The aircraft was a 25 year old Dornier Do-228. Whatever that is…
R.I.P. too all that have died.
“the pilot seems to have panicked as is natural under the circumstances”
Nothing could be further from the truth for a professional pilot. Training covers this type of situation and if the problem was “only” an engine out it should have not been a dire situation. Certainly, there may have been other factors and/or complications that caused a loss of control. It is unfair to say the pilot panicked without knowing all the details.
I agree. Any pilot that can land at Lukla has to be a cool headed and very capable professional. Jumping to conclutions is like jumping into a mud pool. It makes you look like a fool afterwards.
Hi All:
I suppose I may get some flak on this but, regional carriers have a poor record here in the states for pilot training and maintenance. The last six fatal crashes have been all regional airlines in the USA.
FAA would lead the public to believe that Regional and Major airlines are all the same safety wise!
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE!
Factor in “third world country” maintenance and pilot training and a disaster is in the making.
All twin engine aircraft are certificated to maintain altitude on one engine and “should” make it back to the airport in event one engine fails!
However factor in temperature,runway length, aircraft condition and pilot training and sometimes the result is an accident.
This is a foreign carrier and Dornier is German manufactured, so it will be awhile until we know what happened.
The US NTSB will not be involved, unless asked by the German government or Nepal.
The FAA will not be involved
A point I can mention is, all data for aircraft performance is based on 59 degrees /F,or 15 degrees/C at sea level. change this in anyway and aircraft performance suffers.
In addition this aircraft has to be within it’s certificated max take off weight, a must! If it is heavier, it may not fly on one engine.
The pilot must be “current” and follow the emergency procedures to secure the failed engine or the aircraft will not fly. Change anything and the aircraft may not fly!
An early determination is the pilot may have panicked or was not prepared for the emergency?
One thing they always teach you at accident investigation school is “DON’T ASSUME THE OBVIOUS”
An investigation should reveal the cause.
Richard Wyeroski
First of all these pilots in Nepal are VERY experienced and know there job very well. Have you ever heard of Tenzing-Hillary Airport? I would guess not because if would have you would have not said such comments about the pilots training and professionalism.
Second of all I feel VERY safe flying in regional US airlines.
It’s going to be finish of mine day, however before ending I am reading this enormous piece of writing to improve my experience.