Three killed at Lukla-Tenzing-Hillary Airport

A small passenger plane has crashed into a parked helicopter during takeoff at an airport in Nepal’s Everest region on Sunday, killing three people and injuring four others. The crash occurred while the plane, a Czech-manufactured Let L-410UVP-E20 belonging to Summit Air, was trying to take off from Tenzing–Hillary Airport (LUA/VNLK) (also known as Lukla Airport) bound for Ramechhap Airport (RHP/VNRC) when it skidded off the runaway, hitting a Manang Air Eurocopter AS 350B3e helicopter. Lukla Airport only has the one runway, 06/24, and is 527 Mts long (1,729 feet long) it is located at an altitude of 2,845m (9,333ft). One end of the runway (06) rests on the edge of a cliff with a 700m drop and the airport is often closed because of strong winds or heavy clouds. Only experienced pilots are allowed to land at Lukla. They must have made at least 100 landings and takeoffs on short runways and worked in such conditions for at least a year in Nepal. Nepal has a poor flight safely record. In February, seven people died in a helicopter crash, including the country's Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari. In May 2017, a cargo flight was landing in Lukla when it lost altitude and crashed into a mountain below the runway, killing both pilots. In February 2018, a helicopter flying in bad weather crashed into a mountain in northeastern Nepal, killing all seven people on board, including the country’s tourism minister.   Both companies involved in the crash are private airline companies that cater to tourists and Nepalese in the country’s remote areas. The injured were airlifted to Kathmandu by helicopter. The dead included a pilot of the plane and two police officers who were near the parked helicopter. A civil administrator, Narendra Kumar Rana, said the four passengers and a flight attendant on the plane were safe.  Following the crash, authorities suspended services at Tenzing Hillary Airport at Lukla, the gateway to Mount Everest. The airport is often referred to as the world’s most dangerous because of the short runway and difficult approach.

Aircraft Details

Airline: Summit Air

Code: SMA

Aircraft: Let L-410UVP-E20

Registration: 9N-AMH

Serial Number: 2914

Aircraft Details

Airline: Manang Air

Code:

Aircraft: Eurocopter AS 350B3e Ecureuil

Registration: 9N-ANC

Serial Number: 7824




THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE DECEASED AND WE WISH THE INJURED A SPEEDY RECOVERY