The crash that happened, less than a minute after a twin engine jet got airborne and fell within the airport precinct in broad daylight, last week, was bad for Nepal aviation, given the mess it is already in. On initial impression, it is suspected that the one of its engines failed during critical take-off phase giving rise to asymmetrical thrust, that lead to steep banking to the right and eventual crash. Had it not been that low or close to ground, the pilot flying (PF) could possibly have been able to correct the bank and take control. The accident investigation committee may come with its own reasoning and make appropriate recommendations based on its findings. There is a common perception that such recommendations, often, do not get implemented as, big and small, accidents keep happening here frequently and with great many losses of lives. Incidentally, 9N-AME will go down in history as the first Nepal registered jet to crash.

Investigating an air crash is an elaborately complicated process requiring looking at numerous aspects, but the availability of modern flight data recorders (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder CVR has made it possible to make a very detailed post mortem to find the root cause. It is extremely rare to find a pilot survive a major accident. It is sad that eighteen of the nineteen onboard are not with us anymore. Ironically, the committee will have a better insight this time with the captain of the flight to present his case. Similar miracle had happened with a Twin-Otter landing accident at Lula in 2008, where all perished, barring the captain.

As such, recommendations are mostly directed at sectors involved with aviation like regulators, service providers, makers etc. But, at times, they can be directed at agencies at large that have no direct involvement with aviation. For example, incidents/accidents caused by bird strikes can also be attributed to sites like garbage dump that birds get attracted to. An ex-CAAN official, having chaired several investigations, tells that such cases give rise to negative public perception about such recommendations not being taken seriously enough.

But the audio leak of CVR related to YT691/9N-ANC crash of 2023, was far more devastating. With this “bombshell revelation”, perhaps, public has lost the little trust it had in the sector. Both accidents show the casual manner our aviation sector seem to operate while “regulating body” seemingly interested in “other” things than airline safety. It is a serious indictment of the very institution that is primarily supposed to oversee and guarantee flight safety. It is not meant to say that the private airline operators are less culpable. There is a reason why CVR is not available publicly and always kept under wraps. An air crash investigation is not supposed to find fault with anyone but to suggest ways to avoid such happenings in future. This is precisely what seems to be lacking in our system despite having a cupboard full of accumulated investigation reports. Something is drastically wrong with Nepali aviation as a whole.

Even as the CVR release cannot be condoned, but on the other hand, it may have done more good in shaking foundation of Nepal aviation by exposing the myth that we had “well-trained” pilots at the controls. Following the audio release, this scribe asked two retired senior captains for their comment.Capt1 said > “On a check ride she is being spoon fed. The approach should have a published procedure and all crew members operating to that airport should be familiar with it. This is unfortunate we have a sorry state of aviation standards in this country.” Capt2 said > More s/n (Airport familiarisation) should have been allowed before scheduling for sector check. Normally those kinds of briefing are done during cruise flight just before commencing descent.”

Both of them precisely said the same thing. We can infer the following, the spoon feeding the “pilot flying”, was grossly wrong as she was to show her knack/acumen as a commander in that situation having requisite “assertiveness”. The PM, on the right, was coaching PF all the time by alerting every step she was to follow while making the approach and she was seen meek enough to be accepting. In a nutshell, this was not a “check flight", it was more like an instructor with an “unsure pilot trainee”. The next question is; how many such check flights were performed under his command, if they have the records intact, that is? And was he as “helpful” with others as we saw in this case? Will those who were graded earlier, come forward to give their “honest” version?

Even as all that said above may appear exclusively symptomatic to aviation sector, there is a wider rot in the manner the country is governed. The motto everywhere is to make money as quickly as possible and in any way possible, as like in “love and war”. As they say, “the rules of fair play do not apply in love and war.” It is often used to justify cheating at every level possible. And, perhaps, we should make a small amendment making it as “…. in love, war and matter related to Nepal aviation”.

Let Lord Pashupatinath have mercy on Nepal, in general, and aviation in particular. Amen!

Hemant Arjyal can be reached at harjyal@yahoo.com