Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), aviation regulatory body has grounded 4 Nepali pilots following some irregularities in flight operation. Among 4 pilots, one is Captain Subarna Awale of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) and he has been grounded for a lifetime. Captain Awale was arrested by police on 9 April 2017 with a total of 93,000 US dollars in Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). He was scheduled to operate a flight from Kathmandu to Dubai. One of the CAAN’s official stated that Captain Awale has been grounded forever as per the order of the ministry in accordance to his crime.
Captain Rajnish Manandhar of Sita Air, Hira Dahal of Manang Air and Hareram Thapa of Simrik Air have also been suspended in charge of carelessness in-flight safety. Captain Rajnish Manandhar was grounded after the passenger uploaded his sleeping video in the cockpit during a flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Authorities are examining the detail medical study of Captain Manandhar to check if he would be capable of operating flights safely in the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl0irWvihXM
Video published as ‘pilot sleeping on the Sita Air’/ Video Courtesy: Nepon TV
Two committee team have already investigated regarding Captain Manandhar and submitted a report to the head of Authority. Similarly, Captain Hira Dahal has been allocated ‘duty off’ following the tail rotor strike incident in Hilsa recently. An Indian pilgrim Nagendra Kumar Kartik Mehta got struck by the tail rotor after disembarking from the Manang Air’s H125 helicopter resulting instant death.
Being a pilot in command, Capt. Dahal could not pay attention towards safe operation and is responsible for the incident, says CAAN. Along with this, CAAN also temporarily suspended Manang Air operation for some days.
Captain Hareram Thapa has been suspended who was involved in a helicopter incident at Grande Hospital, Dhapasi. Simrik Air AS350B2 ‘9N-ALR’ crash-landed while lading at the rooftop helipad of Grande International Hospital. The helicopter fell 10 feet down off the rooftop helipad of the hospital after touching down for landing. The flight was on a Medical Evacuation mission from the Hospital to Bharatpur.
Simrik Air incident at Grande Hospital Rooftop helipad
