KATHMANDU, Sept 6: A preliminary report submitted by the commission investigating the Saurya Airlines plane crash to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, has reached the conclusion that both the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and the airline had made critical errors leading to the crash that killed 18 people on board.

The 17-page report submitted to the Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Badri Pandey on Wednesday has concluded that the flight operator Saurya Airlines did not comply with the set protocols for cargo and baggage handling and the airspeeds planned and recorded for the flight did not match the airlines’ standard. The report released to the public by the ministry on Thursday also mentions that the CAAN’s procedure to issue permission for ferry flight was not sufficient to ensure flight safety. 

According to the report, the airline operator did not comply with the provisions for aircraft load weighing, loading and securing of load stipulated in chapter seven of CAAN’s operations manual while the flight’s airspeed did not correspond to the airspeeds mentioned in the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) of operator. Each airline is mandated to equip its pilots with the QRH as a standard directive for flight operation.

The probe commission led by former director general of CAAN, Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, has recommended all airline operators to review their speedcards and comply with the requirements for cargo and baggage handling. The commission has also recommended that the CAAN review and update its procedure and requirements for the issuance of permission for non-scheduled flights. Under the current provisions, the authority can renew the certificate of airworthiness required for flight operation within two days of application by the airline’s operator. 

Technical officials at the tourism ministry claimed that while the non-compliance with cargo and baggage handling and lapse in CAAN’s procedure could be a problem of all airlines operators, the mismatch of airspeeds is a problem particular to the Saurya Airlines plane crash. “We believe that other flight operators could be defying the cargo and baggage handling requirements too,” Air Traffic Controller (ATC) at the ministry Mukesh Dangol told Republica. “But the mismatch of airspeeds to the QRH only applies to the crash incident.” 

Dangol added that it is not clear whether the mismatch was caused by error in the flight operation by the pilot or technical problems in the plane.

According to officials, CAAN has initiated the process to integrate the recommendation of the probe committee while it awaits further directive from the ministry. “The authority is yet to receive firm directives from the ministry,” spokesperson for CAAN, Hansa Raj Pandey, told Republica. “But we understand that we are liable for any lapses from our side.” 

Pandey added that the authority is ready to face further action and recommendation from the ministry.

The probe commission, which had 45 days to report on the accident’s cause, included Captain Deepu Jwarchan of Nepal Airlines Corporation, Professor Kuldeep Bhattarai of Pulchowk Engineering Campus, Engineer Sanjay Adhikari of Shree Airlines and ATC Dangol. The preliminary report has been submitted three days before the official deadline. 

The chair of the probe commission, Suman, said that the commission is still working on a final report. However, officials from the ministry said that the ministry is yet to decide whether it requires another report. “We have planned a meeting in the next few days to decide whether the preliminary report will be enough to start issuing directives to all stakeholders,” spokesperson for the ministry, Ram Krishna Lamichhane, told Republica.

The crash, which occurred on July 24 at Tribhuvan International Airport, resulted in the deaths of 18 people, while the captain on board Manish Ratna Shakya survived utilizing his ejection seat.

 
• CAAN