Makalu Air Single Engine Crash Story
04 August 2016
Makalu Air’s single engine aircraft falls off the runway without touching down and crash landed at the Heldum River. The Grand Caravan 208 series aircraft with registration 9N-AKC reported a technical glitch and mentioned traffic controller about being unable to land around 4:30 PM local time today.
commanding the aircraft were forced to crash land into the river who could save their life jumping immediately out of the aircraft as soon as it crash landed. The two pilots met minor injuries and have already been rescued back to the Simikot Airport and to Nepalgunj by a helicopter of Simrik Air ‘9N-ALP’ according to our reporter and senior technician at Simrik Air Mr. Rohit Kapila reporting from Simikot Airport.
The aircraft took off from Simikot for Surkhet and only after five minutes upon reaching Simikot pass situated 3NM away from the airport started diverting back to the Simikot airport and requested an emergency landing to the Simikot Controller. The aircraft then approached airport but dropped a significant altitude on the final approach due to the engine equipment failure (as reported by Nepalgunj ATC) because of which it was forced to fly towards river to crash land. Only two pilots were on board the aircraft while it crashed in to the river.
The empty aircraft is being swept away by the increased current of Karnali River after the monsoon. But the pilots were immediately rescued safely by the Simrik Air’s helicopter that flew from Simikot Airport instantly after the controller received emergency call proving that a quick rescue can save lives.
Recently an Air Kasthamandap’s single engine aircraft 9N-AJB also made an emergency crashed landing on Chilkhaya of Kalikot of mid-western Nepal unfortunately taking lives of the captain and first officer but saving the life of other 9 passengers on board. Immediately after the crash single engine aircraft were banned to carry passengers by the Ministry of Tourism.
