The final investigation report into last year’s tragic crash of Saurya Airlines’ CRJ-200 aircraft at Tribhuvan International Airport has laid bare a chilling chain of failures—from the cockpit to the control tower and from airline boardrooms to the regulator's offices. Eighteen lives were lost and what the report reveals is not just a catalogue of human error, but an institutional collapse of responsibility, safety and accountability in Nepal’s aviation sector. It’s time to say: no more fiddling with human life. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), tasked with ensuring aviation safety, has failed in its primary duty. A faulty speedcard—a basic flight planning document containing incorrect takeoff speeds—had gone unchecked for years. The pilots used this flawed data to calculate V-speeds, leading to a takeoff at dangerously low speeds. Add to this a sharply excessive pitch rate of 8.6 degrees per second—far beyond safe limits—and the result was a deep stall and a catastrophic crash. The CAAN cannot shy away from its responsibility by pointing fingers on others. The very existence of such a defective document within an airline’s operations points to the absence of rigorous regulatory audits. Worse still, this same issue was never flagged in multiple routine inspections, raising questions about whether inspections are being performed diligently—or at all. The regulator’s silence despite repeated abnormal pitch incidents in the airline’s history speaks volumes.
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The report reveals several other lapses in ground and cargo handling. Tools, flammable materials and personal belongings were loaded into the cabin without weighing or securing them, handled by untrained personnel. Safety procedures were bypassed and the load-trim sheet didn’t reflect the actual center of gravity of the aircraft. Such recklessness not only compromised flight safety but also exacerbated the post-crash fire and hindered rescue efforts. Equally appalling was the airport’s emergency response. Rescue vehicles arrived late, key access gates were blocked by stored construction materials and there was no evidence of preparedness for such disasters. Fire trucks failed to act promptly and rescue teams were unable to respond effectively—despite a critical window of opportunity to save lives, especially the trapped crew. This was not an isolated accident caused by momentary lapse. It was the deadly outcome of systematic negligence. The airline operator, in defiance of both logic and law, allowed a ferry flight—meant for aircraft movement without passengers—to carry non-essential personnel and cargo, some of it hazardous. The attempt to remove baggage from the crash site without authorization further indicates attempts at evidence tampering and faults of the airline operators.
The responsibility now rests squarely on the government and CAAN to take decisive action. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation must go beyond rhetoric and ensure criminal accountability where warranted. CAAN must stop exploiting legal loopholes to protect erring airlines and instead revamp its inspection and certification systems. Its officials must remember they are guardians of public safety—not gatekeepers of favour for unscrupulous operators. Airlines that are found violating safety protocols should be grounded immediately. Operators who cut corners to save costs or manipulate documents to deceive regulators must face stringent penalties. A zero-tolerance policy is not just desirable—it is imperative. Nepal’s aviation sector is already under the international spotlight, with airlines blacklisted by the EU for years. Meanwhile, Pakistan has been able to secure removal of its airlines from the same blacklist through reform and compliance. Nepal must now demonstrate similar resolve—not just to lift a ban, but to protect the lives of its citizens. It is worth mentioning that the government has tabled two bills in parliament to split CAAN, retaining it as the regulator and creating a new service provider, the Air Services Authority of Nepal (ASAN). This process must be expedited to make sure that CAAN’s regulatory functions are not undermined. The loss of 18 lives is a national tragedy. But the bigger tragedy would be to learn nothing from it. We owe it to the victims, their families and the future of Nepal’s aviation to ensure this never happens again. No more excuses. No more neglect. No more fiddling with human life.
