Kathmandu – Lukla

On October 8, 2008 at 07:31 AM, Kathmandu – Lukla experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, operated by Yeti Airlines, with the event recorded near Lukla-Tenzing-Hillary Sagarmatha.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

19 people were known to be on board, 18 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 94.7%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 16, passenger fatalities: 16, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft departed Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport at 0651LT on a regular schedule service to the Lukla-Tenzing-Hillary Airport. On approach to runway 06, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Despite the pilot did not establish any visual contact with the ground, he continued the approach when, on short final, the aircraft struck a rock and crashed just below the runway 06 threshold, bursting into flames. The captain was seriously injured while 18 other occupants were killed, among them 12 Germans, 2 Australians and 5 Nepalese.

Aircraft reference details include registration 9N-AFE, MSN 720, year of manufacture 1980.