Both the pilot and the co-pilot on board were killed after a cargo aircraft of the Makalu Airlines crashed today morning at the Bahun Kharka in Humla.
The plane was flying at a height of 12,800 feet. The single-engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan with call sign 9N-AJU had taken off from Surkhet to Humla district headquarters Simikot. It took off from Surkhet Airport at 6:12 am and was scheduled to land at 6:55 am in Simikot. But the plane had gone missing minutes before landing at the Humla airport.
The crashed aircraft was discovered nearly four hours later. According to deputy director general at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Rajan Pokharel, the Makalu Air cargo aircraft crashed at Simikot Pass in Bahun Kharka, Humla. He said both pilot Kiran Bhattarai and co-pilot Aditya Nepali died in the crash.
Humla is one of the remotest districts in Karnali province. The district is accessible only by small aircraft.
The bodies will be airlifted to Kathmandu, an airport official said, adding that an investigation would be soon launched.
Makalu Air has three single-engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircrafts to its fleet. Based in Nepalgunj, Makalu Air provides chartered passenger and cargo services.
The crash – nearly two months after a US-Bangla aircraft crashed in the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) killing 51 people and injuring over a dozen – once again reminded the authorities need to improve the safety of Nepali sky.
The plane was flying at a height of 12,800 feet. The single-engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan with call sign 9N-AJU had taken off from Surkhet to Humla district headquarters Simikot. It took off from Surkhet Airport at 6:12 am and was scheduled to land at 6:55 am in Simikot. But the plane had gone missing minutes before landing at the Humla airport.
The crashed aircraft was discovered nearly four hours later. According to deputy director general at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Rajan Pokharel, the Makalu Air cargo aircraft crashed at Simikot Pass in Bahun Kharka, Humla. He said both pilot Kiran Bhattarai and co-pilot Aditya Nepali died in the crash.
Humla is one of the remotest districts in Karnali province. The district is accessible only by small aircraft.
The bodies will be airlifted to Kathmandu, an airport official said, adding that an investigation would be soon launched.
Makalu Air has three single-engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircrafts to its fleet. Based in Nepalgunj, Makalu Air provides chartered passenger and cargo services.
The crash – nearly two months after a US-Bangla aircraft crashed in the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) killing 51 people and injuring over a dozen – once again reminded the authorities need to improve the safety of Nepali sky.
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