Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Failure to deploy full flaps may have caused Yeti Airlines crash in Nepal's Pokhara: Report

On January 15, a Yeti Airlines aircraft crashed into a gorge near the newly-built airport in Pokhara, killing 72 all on board, including five Indians, in the country’s worst air disaster in 30 years.

Failure to deploy full flaps may have caused Yeti Airlines crash in Nepal's Pokhara: Report

The pilots of the Yeti Airlines aircraft that crashed in Nepal's resort city of Pokhara may have failed to fully deploy the wing flaps while attempting to land, leading to a stall, a media report said on Thursday.

On January 15, a Yeti Airlines aircraft crashed into a gorge near the newly-built airport in Pokhara, killing 72 all on board, including five Indians, in the country's worst air disaster in 30 years.


An aircraft coming to land has the flaps at the back of the wings fully down to provide more control at low speed and prevent stalling, the Kathmandu Post reported.

The exact reason behind the crash will be known only after an examination of the flight data recorder, or the black box, the report added.

A nine-member team from France is also enquiring with the airlines' staff and concerned authorities in Pokhara to understand details of the ATR-72 aircraft crash, according to an official from Yeti Airlines.

The aircraft that took off from Kathmandu at 10:30 am crashed into the Seti river gorge, killing all four crew members and 68 passengers. One person on board the aircraft is still missing.

The government has formed a five-member probe committee to investigate the crash.

Two mobile videos went viral immediately after the crash.

One showed the aircraft banking sharply left and then falling after a stall while the second video appeared online several hours after the incident and showed an Indian passenger identified as Sonu Jaiswal live streaming from the plane seconds before it went down.

The footage showed that the flaps were not fully down, leading experts to suspect that the aircraft might have stalled for this reason, the report added.

Another senior ATR captain Kumar Pandey was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post, "I was stunned after watching the video.” “From the window, we can clearly see that one side of the wing flap of the aircraft was not fully deployed. I speak on the basis of the video footage, which is subject to a detailed investigation.” In 2007-08, Pandey flew the same aircraft that once belonged to the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines of India, the report said.

“It looks like the pilots messed up. If that’s the case, it’s a big negligence. They didn’t follow the basic checklist,” Pandey said.

Referring to the landing checklist, the co-pilot normally reports when the aircraft has descended to 1,000 feet, the level at which the aircraft is supposed to be fully stabilised for landing, according to the report.

Normally, at the speed of 160 knots or 296 kilometres per hour, the pilot releases the landing gear. At this stage, the flaps should be deployed at 15 degrees.

When the speed goes below 150 knots or 277 kilometres per hour, the flaps should be set at 30 degrees.

This process stabilises the aircraft for a smooth landing. The pilots then align the aircraft with the runway. At this phase, the flaps should be set at 30 degrees to reduce the speed.

“But the video shows the flaps at 15 degrees,” Pandey said. According to him, extending the flaps, particularly beyond 30 degrees, results in significant levels of drag.

When a steep approach angle and a short final come together, the landing becomes critical, which could be the case with Yeti Airlines Flight 961.

“The pilots may have omitted the mandatory final landing checklist,” the report quoted at least four ATR captains and at least three experts who have extensive knowledge of the matter.

Meanwhile, aviation experts in India said on Sunday that mishandling, malfunctioning of an aircraft system or pilot fatigue could be among the factors that caused the plane crash in Nepal.

A pilot with a regional carrier, who has been flying ATR planes for nearly two decades, said on the condition of anonymity that the particular aircraft could have suffered a stall or there could have been a pilot error.

The factors that led to the crash will be clear only after the completion of the investigation, the pilot added.

(PTI)

More For You

Asian funding gives Tories an edge over ruling Labour

Selvanayagam Pankayachelvan and Tharshiny Pankaj of Regent Group

Asian funding gives Tories an edge over ruling Labour

ASIAN entrepreneurs and companies have pumped more money into the Conservative party than the ruling Labour, latest data has revealed, with one business leader donating more than £100,000 to the opposition party.

Dr Selvanayagam Pankayachelvan, CEO of Regent Group, a London-based educational firm, emerged as one of the biggest individual Asian donors to the Tories in the third quarter of 2024, data from the Electoral Commission revealed last month.

Keep ReadingShow less
Two men jailed for trying to smuggle migrants into UK

Shafaz Khan (L), Choudhry Rashied (Photo: Home Office)

Two men jailed for trying to smuggle migrants into UK

TWO London-based men have been sentenced to over 10 years behind bars after being convicted of breaching UK immigration law by trying to smuggle four Indian migrants in a hidden van compartment disguised by a stack of dirty tyres.

According to the UK Home Office, British nationals Shafaz Khan and Choudhry Rashied, who operated under the alias ‘Manzar Mian Attique’, hid the group of migrants behind the tyres in a “purpose built” hidden space in the vehicle.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nijjar murder

Accused of killing Nijjar, four Indians appear before Canadian court. (Image credit: Reuters)

Four Indians accused of Nijjar’s murder granted bail in Canada

ALL four Indian nationals accused of murdering Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar have been granted bail by a court in Canada.

The accused, identified as Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh, face charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Keep ReadingShow less
Suhas-Subramanyam-Getty

'My parents got to see me sworn in as the first Indian American and South Asian Congressman from Virginia,' Subramanyam said after the ceremony. (Photo: Getty Images)

Indian-American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam takes oath on Gita

CONGRESSMAN Suhas Subramanyam, the first Indian-American Congressman from the East Coast, took his oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita, becoming the only lawmaker from the community to do so this year. Subramanyam’s mother, who immigrated through Dulles Airport, witnessed the swearing-in ceremony.

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu American elected to the US House of Representatives, set the precedent for taking the oath on the Gita in 2013 when she represented Hawaii’s second congressional district. Gabbard, now 43, is currently a nominee for the position of director of national intelligence.

Keep ReadingShow less
US police officer responsible for Jaahnavi Kandula’s death fired

Kandula, 23, from Andhra Pradesh, died after being hit by a police vehicle driven by officer Kevin Dave (Photo credit: GoFundMe)

US police officer responsible for Jaahnavi Kandula’s death fired

A POLICE officer who struck and killed Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula in January 2023 in the US's Seattle has been dismissed from the police department, according to officials.

Kandula, 23, from Andhra Pradesh, died after being hit by a police vehicle driven by officer Kevin Dave. The incident occurred on 23 January 2023, while Dave was responding to a report of a drug overdose. He was driving at 74 mph (119 km/h) at the time.

Keep ReadingShow less