KATHMANDU, Aug 8: Nepal's skies, often celebrated for their stunning views, were marred by yet another tragedy on Wednesday, with an Air Dynasty helicopter with five people including captain crashing in Nuwakot.

The latest aviation tragedy that claimed the lives of four Chinese tourists and the pilot  adds to the already troubling history of helicopter crashes in the country, with 40 such accidents resulting in 97 fatalities over the past 45 years.  

Wednesday’s chopper crash follows closely on the heels of the Saurya Airlines plane crash at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu barely 14 days ago. A total of 18 lives were lost in the crash.

The ill-fated helicopter with the call sign 9N-AJD took off from Kathmandu towards Syafrubesi in Rasuwa. Just three minutes into its flight, the aircraft lost communication with the Kathmandu Air Traffic Control Tower at 1:54 PM. 

The helicopter crashed into a remote area of Surya Chaur in Shivapuri Rural Municipality-7, igniting a fire that significantly hampered rescue operations. The crash site is located on the border of Kathmandu and Nuwakot districts, just after entering Nuwakot airspace. 

Police recovered five dead bodies from the crash site. The bodies of the victims, including four Chinese nationals—38-year-old Jutad Tang, 36-year-old Jie Li, 41-year-old Zeming Xie, and 31-year-old Yiyad Wu—and captain Arun Malla, 58, were collected from the crash site and sent to TU Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj for post-mortem.  

The post-mortem examination is set to begin on Thursday morning, pending police formalities.

The crash site lies at a 10-minute walk from the army check post, enabling security personnel to quickly arrive at the scene. The proximity of security agencies and road transport to the crash site facilitated the quick identification and response. 

The crashed helicopter was completely burnt, with only the tail section visible to identify the aircraft. The intense fire left parts of the helicopter scattered around the crash site, entangled in trees. Security personnel had doused the fire by shoveling mud over the wreckage.

Ward Chairman of Shivapuri Rural Municipality-7 Bir Bahadur Tamang, who reached the crash site within minutes of the accident, said police personnel joined by locals had already started rescue operations by the time he reached there. 

Tamang said that the crash site does not seem to be at risk of an accident as helicopters routinely fly through that area. The accident occurred in an area frequently used for chartered flights to destinations such as Langtang Valley, Gosaikunda, and the Kerung border point with China.

Govt forms probe panel to investigate the crash

In response to the crash, the government called an emergency cabinet meeting and formed a three-member probe committee led by Nepali Army’s Senior Pilot Subash Thapa. 

The committee, which includes Bishnu Basnet and Tanuja Pokharel as members, has been tasked with investigating the causes of the accident. The committee has been given 30 days to deliver a comprehensive report on the incident. 

This crash is the 40th one in the disturbing aviation history of Nepal with the first crash recorded on 27 December 1979 in Langtang, claiming the lives of six individuals.  The deadliest helicopter crash in Nepal's history occurred on 23 September, 2006, in Taplejung, claiming 24 lives.

Delayed search and rescue operation

Although the crash site is less than 15 km in aerial distance from the Tribhuvan International Airport, there was a delayed response in dispatching a search and rescue helicopter, according to airport officials. 

Despite the helicopter losing contact within three minutes of takeoff, a search and rescue helicopter was dispatched only after 45 minutes after the loss of communication to the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) at the TIA. According to aviation norms, a search helicopter should be dispatched within minutes of losing contact. 

Near the crash site, a helipad is also located, where private helicopter companies often transport pilgrims from Surya Chaur to the Gosaikunda fair. 

Irreparable loss to the aviation industry

The crash claimed the life of Captain Arun Malla, a seasoned pilot who had been flying in the skies of Nepal for over three decades. Malla served with several prominent helicopter operators, including Nepal Airlines, Karnali Air, and most recently, Air Dynasty. 

Malla, who had previously survived a Maoist abduction in 2002 and two other serious accidents, faced a tragic fate in Wednesday’s accident. Aviation community has termed his death an irreparable loss to the country. 

CAAN’s preliminary report: Air Dynasty chopper crashed into mountain in cloudy condition

A preliminary investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) indicates that the Air Dynasty helicopter crash occurred after the pilot became disoriented upon entering a cloud. 

According to the V2 tracker data, the helicopter was at an altitude of 5,600 feet while the crash site in Shivapuri Rural Municipality-7 Surya Chaur is at 6,500 feet. The helicopter's speed was recorded at 106 knots (196 km/h), higher than the standard 80 knots, suggesting the pilot may have been rushing. The investigation highlights a possible violation of Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which require helicopters to fly above or below clouds.

 
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