Nepal 2023 January Plane Crash: ‘Incorrect Lever Pulled’ by Yeti Airlines Pilot, Killing 72

Following a months-long inquiry into the nation’s worst aviation catastrophe in three decades, an official said on Friday that the January jet crash in Nepal that claimed the lives of all 72 occupants was caused by pilot error.

The Yeti Airlines flight crashed on its descent from Kathmandu to Pokhara, a destination for hikers and religious pilgrims.

As the ATR 72 neared its target, it fell into a deep valley, broke into pieces, and caught fire, carrying 68 passengers and four crew members.

Among the dead were fifteen foreigners and six minors.

A member of the investigative committee named Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane told AFP that the investigation had shown that the “wrong lever” had been pressed in the cockpit.

He said, “Technically, the plane was fine, but it appears that incorrect human input caused it to stall and crash.”

According to the assessment, which was turned in to the Ministry of Tourism on Thursday, “inadvertent movement of both condition levers to the feathered position in flight” was the most likely reason for the deadly accident.

According to the study, the aircraft stalled and crashed because the propellers were not creating thrust while they were in the feathered position.

As it got closer to Pokhara airport, the twin-propeller aircraft was seen abruptly and violently banking to the left in a video posted on social media after the tragedy.

The investigation said that “human factor issues, such as high workload and stress, appear to have resulted in the propellers’ incorrect identification and selection.”

Additionally, it said that “the associated flight deck and engine indications that both propellers had been feathered” were overlooked by the crew.

In recent years, Nepal’s aviation sector has expanded rapidly, transporting passengers and cargo to remote locations and transporting international mountain climbers.

But because to inadequate maintenance and training, the industry has seen a number of fatal incidents.

Due to safety concerns, the European Union has prohibited any airlines from Nepal from using its airspace.

Nepal also has some of the hardest and most isolated runways in the world, surrounded by snow-capped hills with unpredictable weather patterns and challenging approaches.

The worst aviation catastrophe occurred in 1992 when a Pakistan International Airlines plane crashed on approach to Kathmandu, killing all 167 occupants.