Narrative:
Tara Air flight 197, a DHC-6 Twin Otter 300, impacted a mountainside at 14500 feet while on a domestic flight from Pokhara to Jomsom, Nepal. All 22 occupants suffered fatal injuries.
The flight was the first of five daily Tara Air flights from Pokhara to Jomsom, scheduled to depart at 06:15 hours. The flight was delayed because the Lete Pass on the route was covered up with clouds. The Twin Otter finally departed at 09:55, after two aircraft of Summit Air had departed for Jomsom. The flight took off from runway 04 and made a left-hand turn to follow the valley/pass on a heading of about 300°. About 10:06 the flight turned to the north towards Jomsom until it struck the side of a mountain.
Probable Cause:
The probable cause of this accident was the flight crew's failure to monitor and maintain the proper course while inadvertently flying in IMC conditions with the aircraft Terrain Avoidance and Warning System [TAWS] inhibited which resulted into a CFIT accident.
Contributing factors:
1. The flight crew's failure to follow the SOP of company
2. The aircraft flight operation with TAWS inhibited during deteriorating en-route weather condition.
3. Loss of situational awareness of crew
4. Deteriorating en-route weather
5. Less experienced copilot for that sector and high crew gradient
6. Poor CRM during the flight
7. The whole cockpit duties [both PF and PM] were undertaken by the PlC, which likely impaired his performance.
8. Underutilization of the available Navigation instruments
» AAIC Press release
FlightAware track
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Sunday 29 May 2022 |
| Time: | 10:10 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 |
| Operator: | Tara Air |
| Registration: | 9N-AET |
| MSN: | 619 |
| First flight: | 1979-04-21 (43 years 2 months) |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 19 / Occupants: 19 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 22 / Occupants: 22 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Sanosware ( Nepal)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 4420 m (14501 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Pokhara Airport (PKR/VNPK), Nepal |
| Jomsom Airport (JMO/VNJS), Nepal | |
| Flightnumber: | 197 |
Tara Air flight 197, a DHC-6 Twin Otter 300, impacted a mountainside at 14500 feet while on a domestic flight from Pokhara to Jomsom, Nepal. All 22 occupants suffered fatal injuries.
The flight was the first of five daily Tara Air flights from Pokhara to Jomsom, scheduled to depart at 06:15 hours. The flight was delayed because the Lete Pass on the route was covered up with clouds. The Twin Otter finally departed at 09:55, after two aircraft of Summit Air had departed for Jomsom. The flight took off from runway 04 and made a left-hand turn to follow the valley/pass on a heading of about 300°. About 10:06 the flight turned to the north towards Jomsom until it struck the side of a mountain.
Probable Cause:
Probable Cause:
The probable cause of this accident was the flight crew's failure to monitor and maintain the proper course while inadvertently flying in IMC conditions with the aircraft Terrain Avoidance and Warning System [TAWS] inhibited which resulted into a CFIT accident.
Contributing factors:
1. The flight crew's failure to follow the SOP of company
2. The aircraft flight operation with TAWS inhibited during deteriorating en-route weather condition.
3. Loss of situational awareness of crew
4. Deteriorating en-route weather
5. Less experienced copilot for that sector and high crew gradient
6. Poor CRM during the flight
7. The whole cockpit duties [both PF and PM] were undertaken by the PlC, which likely impaired his performance.
8. Underutilization of the available Navigation instruments
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» kathmandupost.com» AAIC Press release
Photos
FlightAware track
Video, social media
Crash site: Sanosware, Thasang-2, Mustang pic.twitter.com/OcN93N1Qyb
— NASpokesperson (@NaSpokesperson) May 30, 2022
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Pokhara Airport to Jomsom Airport as the crow flies is 69 km (43 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Pokhara Airport to Jomsom Airport as the crow flies is 69 km (43 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages: 
Nepal
Share
DHC-6 Twin Otter
Nepal- 9th worst accident (at the time)
- 10th worst accident (currently)
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2023 Flight Safety Foundation