Nepal CRJ Crash Kills 18

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Key Takeaways:

  • A Bombardier CRJ200 plane crashed at Kathmandu Airport, Nepal, shortly after takeoff, killing 18 of the 19 people on board.
  • The only survivor was the captain; the deceased included 17 maintenance technicians traveling on a ferry flight for maintenance.
  • Video shows the plane veering right before descending and crashing about 600 feet from the runway.
  • This incident highlights Nepal's poor aviation safety record, despite its critical reliance on air travel for its mountainous terrain.
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Only the captain survived the crash of Bombardier CRJ200 carrying a total of 19 people at Kathmandu Airport in Nepal on Wednesday. According to local authorities, the Saurya Airlines plane was on a ferry flight for maintenance when it crashed a few seconds after it took off. The reports said 17 of those killed were maintenance technicians traveling to Pohkara Airport where the airline has a maintenance hub.

Video shows the plane veering right before descending and crashing about 600 feet to the right of the runway centerline. The crash is the latest in a series of mishaps that have killed more than 350 people in the last 25 years. Nepal has one of the world’s worst aviation safety records but is highly dependent on air travel and freight to reach its remote, mountainous regions.

Russ Niles

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.
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