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Category: <span>Twin Otter</span>

Nepal: Pokhara Crash, 23 Fatalities

tara

Tara Air Flight number TA193 Crashes

A Tara Air Twin Otter was found crashed near Rupse Chhahara at Soleghopte cliff in Dana VDC. Search efforts at the crash site some 16,000 feet above sea level were hampered by fog. There were no survivors. The flight had been declared missing while en route from Pokhara to Jomsom, carried twenty passengers and had been manned by three crew. They left Pokhara at 07:47 and were lost 10 minutes into the flight. Villagers reported a fire near Rupse Chhahara, which was the site of the wreckage.

Tara Air published statements. See italics on this page.

Tara Air says

With deepest regret and extreme shock Tara Air Pvt. Ltd. Management informs the crash of this airlines’ flight number TA193 on aircraft 9N-AHH that took off from Pokhara to Jomsom at 7:50 a.m. local time. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased. Our Management is cooperating fully in the investigation.

The aircraft which took off from Pokhara on its scheduled flight number TA193 to Jomsom at 7:40 a.m. was found crashed at Tirkhe Dhunga, Dana VDC of Myagdi district.

There were 23 (twenty three) passengers along with 2 (two) infants and 3 (three) crew members.

We are working to assist the families and friends of the passengers and crew. We cannot undo the pain and grief they feel, but we can share their burden of dealing with this tragedy.

This is an extremely sad day for all of us at Tara Air.

Tara Air Pvt. Ltd.
Hotline: 014465888

Release——02

As per information received from Rescue Coordination Center (RCC), TIA, Tara Air’s missing aircraft 9N-AHH which took off from Pokhara on its scheduled flight number TA 193 to Jomsom at 7:50 a.m. was found crashed at Tirkhe Dhunga, Dana VDC of Myagdi district at 1:25 p.m. There were 23(twenty-three) passengers along with 2 (two) infants and 3(three) crew members.

Release——01

Tara Air Pvt. Ltd. with regret informs its Twin-Otter 400 series (9N-AHH) missing after taking off from Pokhara Airport at 7:50 local time. It was flying from Pokhara to Jomsom. It is also known that weather at both origin and destination airports was favorable and the airport was cleared for departure by the Control Tower at Pokhara. We have dispatched three helicopters on a search and rescue mission. We will provide updates as soon as we receive further information.

Nepal Airlines Flight Missing


Contact photographer Michael Fritz

Eighteen people are missing over the Himalayan mountains of central Nepal on a Nepal Airlines Twin Otter en route from Pokhara to Jumla. The plane had stopped in Pokhara to refuel. The crew lost contact with Bhairawa ATC a quarter hour after taking off. The plane never arrived in Jumla.

The plane’s first flight was in 1971.

The route from Pokhara to Jumla flies over Dhorpatan and Rukum, and zig zags over tall mountains.

The last radio contact was at 13:13.

A fire was spotted in a forested area near Khidim but the search was called off due to weather conditions. Locals also reported hearing a loud noise. The Fishtail Air search helicopter was unable to land due to poor visibility and the air search was called off. On foot, the search continues with the Nepal Army, a team from Palpa and Mujhum Police.

The wreckage has not been located but the crash site is presumed to be on the border of Argakhanchi, Gulmi and Palpa districts, one and half hour walking uphill from Khidim village in Argakhanchi district.

There were three crew and fifteen passengers, all but one of whom were from Nepal. The foreigner is Dutch.

The crew was made up of Captain Shankar Shrestha, co-pilot Rabinda Banjara and Air hostess Muna Maharjan. The names of the passengers have not been released.

One child was also aboard.

Maswings Crash


On October 10, a MASWings de Havilland Dash 6-300 Twin Otter en route from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat made a landing in high wind, and short of the runway impacted a house in Kampung Sin-San.

A woman and her son were in the living room while the plane struck the bedroom, dining room and porch. The plane had two crew, fourteen adult passengers and two children, of whom six sustained injuries and one died. The injured were first treated at Kudat Hospital. More severely injured will be flown out to Kota Kinabalu; and ten others received outpatient care.

The two fatalities were the first officer and a passenger, Tan Ah Chai, 96. The pilot was Captain Wan Mohd Abd Amir Wan Yahya. First Officer Marc Joel Bansh, 23, died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu.

Ten firefighters responded to the scene.

MASWings published the following announcement

AIRLINES CEO STATEMENT MH3002 INCIDENT AT KUDAT, SABAH
We deeply regret the incident in Kudat of flight MH 3002 on Thursday, October 10, 2013. The aircraft, with Registration Number DHC6 9M-MDM, departed from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat with 14 passengers and two technical crew onboard landed in the vicinity of Kudat Airport at 2.50pm. Out of the 16 onboard, 15 were Malaysians and one Filipino national.Regrettably there have been two fatalities (of which one is MASwings Co-Pilot) and two injuries. The Captain piloting the flight was Captain Wan Mohd Abd Amir Wan Yahya, 56. He has over 4700 total flying hours. Captain Wan Mohd joined MASwings on August 2011We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased and those involved in the accident, and we are doing everything we can to assist them in this extremely difficult time. We are assisting the passengers and families the best way we can.

A 24-hour Call Centre service has been activated. Families of passengers who were on-board may call 603-7884 1234 for further enquiries. We have also set up our Go Team in Kudat to look after their needs and keep them as quickly informed as possible. The investigation will be carried out by the authorities.

Malaysia Airlines together with MASwings are fully co-operating and assisting the investigation in every possible way. As per aircraft maintenance record, the Twin-Otter was fit to fly and was in good condition before the accident.Malaysia Airlines and MASwings will continue to monitor the situation at the crash site and update on the situation and will provide information relating to the flight itself and updates on steps being taken.Once again, we at Malaysia Airlines and MASwings express our deepest regret and extend our condolences to all affected parties. I would like to reiterate once again that our utmost priority is to ensure complete well being of our passengers, crew and other affected parties.

Nepal Airlines Crash Landing in Jomsom


Twenty-one people aboard a Nepal Airlines de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 survived the attempted landing 125 miles NW of Kathmandu.

Everyone aboard survived but everyone was injured. Five of the tourists were seriously injured.

On landing at Jomsom airport at 8:30 a.m., the brakes failed, and the plane skidded to the banks of the Kali Gandaki river. The wheel of the plane slipped off the runway and turned right. The front of the plane was wrecked and in the water. The back appears intact.

Eight passengers were Japanese, and on pilgrimage to Muktinath, a sacred Buddhist site at the foot of the Thorong La Himalayan mountain pass.

The rest of those aboard were Nepali.

An investigation is underway. The accident is currently being attributed to brake failure. Jomsom airport is known as one of the most dangerous on earth.

Nepal News Video

Air Group 42 Plane Hard Landing With No Casualties

What: Fuerza Aérea del Peru de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
Where: Laguna Caballococha, Loreto, Peru
When: Mar 9 2012
Who: 3 crew, 8 passengers
Why: The Twin Otter made a hard landing in Laguna Caballococha waters that collapsed the right pontoon. The boat was semi-submerged meters from shore.
The IAEA (Board of Accident Investigation) is investigating at the behest of the High Command of the Air Force.

Tara Field Georgia: Flight Crashes on National Aerotech Maintenance Flight


What: Desert Sand Aircraft Leasing de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100
Where: SW of Clayton County Airport-Tara Field, GA
When: 08 MAR 2011
Who: 2 fatalities
Why: The Desert Sand Aircraft Leasing flight piloted by 37-year-old Bryan Hedrick crashed at 11:45 am on March 8, 2011 on a post maintenance flight run. The maintenance was done by National Aerotech Aviation, and the maintenance flight was headed toward Tara Field when the plane went down for an unknown reason, and landed upside down, with the tail leaning on a tree, the right wing off and twisted, and the left wing folded back.

Both the pilot and passenger Oriel Roberts died in the crash.

6 Dead in Plane Crash in Ecuador

What: Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 en route from Pastaza-Shell Mera Airport to Tena Airport (SETE), Ecuador
Where: El Capricho Ecuador
When: 20 JAN 2011
Who: 6 aboard
Why: Captain Pilot Xavier González Montenegro, Lieutenant Pilot Campaign Mario Ramirez, Lieutenant Pilot Gabriel Palacios Jiménez, Iván Paredes Sergeant Corporal Yanez and Juan Román Guevara crashed while performing civic action flights. While en troute back to Tena the plane crashed, and fell into the Anzu river.

Plane Crashes in Kathmandu

What: Tara Air de Havilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter en route from Lamidanda to Kathmandu
Where: Okhaldhunga, Palunge Mountain, Nepal
When: Dec 15th 2010
Who: 19 passengers and 3 crew
Why: Five minutes after takeoff, Air Traffic Control lost contact with the plane.

The flight was scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu 35 minutes after departure and it never arrived.

The wreckage was found at 8850 feet, where it crashed into Palunge Mountain.
All the bodies have been recovered.

Otter Crash in Alaska, 8 Aboard, Survivors


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer John Olafson

What: GCI Communication Corp de Havilland Canada DHC-3T Texas Turbine Super O en route to Agulowak Lodge near Lake Aleknagik, Alaska
Where: 20 miles north of Dillingham, AK
When: August 9, 2010
Who: 8 aboard
Why: The 1957 DeHavilland DHC-3 Otter owned by GCI Communication Corp crashed on encountering weather. After the wreckage was discovered, two National Guard rescue teams in helicopters were dispatched but they could not handle the weather and their arrival was (expected to be) delayed until after midnight.

A volunteer team on the ground was assisting rescue efforts and a doctor is on the scene. Half of those aboard the plane survived. Former Sen. Ted Stevens was aboard the plane.

Pacific Sun Encounters Turbulence

What: Pacific Sun Twin Otter en route from Savusavu to Nadi
Where: Nadi International Airport, Fiji
When: July 11, 2010
Who: two crew and 12 passengers
Why: While en route, the flight encountered weather, wind shear and severe turbulence. The crew flew around the weather and made a safe landing at Nadi. There were no injuries.

Jet Blue Cautionary Landing in Fort Lauderdale


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Frank Robitaille

What: Jetblue Embraer ERJ-190 en route from Fort Lauderdale to Boston,MA
Where: Fort Lauderdale on Apr 22nd 2010
When: Apr 22nd 2010
Who: 94 passengers and 4 crew
Why: After takeoff, fumes were detected on board. The flight returned to Fort Lauderdale and made a safe landing. On arrival, some passengers booked on alternative flights; others continued on the same plane a couple of hours later. No details have been released regarding the source of the fumes.

Indonesian Plane Found


Pictured: A Merpati Twin Otter plane
Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact Photographer Vector Grafix

A search plane reported sighting the wreckage of the plane 20 nautical miles from Oksibil on a mountain at 9300 feet.
Update:
Fifteen bodies arrived at Sentani Airport, Jayapura on Thursday afternoon and taken to the Bhayangkara Kotaraja Police Hospital for autopsy. Two of the 12 passengers were babies.

What: Merpati Nusantara Airlines de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 en route from Jayapura to Oksibil Indonesia
Where: 20 nautical miles from Oksibil Indonesia
When: Aug 2nd 2009
Who: 13 passengers and 2 crew
Why: Initially the weather was reported to be foggy, but 2 hours after the flight, thunder storms were reported. The tower has not been contacted since 10:35 and although the flight was due at 11:05, it never arrived.

State owned PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines is sent out another twin-otter to search for the missing plane. The search was hampered by continued bad weather.

The flight was lost while passing through the Jayapura to Oksibil route

Seaplane Crashes, Meedhupparu Island


Maldivian airtaxi. Meedhupparu Island. April 02, 2008
What: Maldivian Air Taxi de Havilland DHC6 Twin Otter
Where: Halavelhi Resort lagoon while coming in for a landing, one of the Otter’s wings struck the water causing the crew to lose control of the airplane.
When: Jun 2nd 2009
Who: 4 passengers, 3 crew
Why: After taking photographers on a photo-flight over the resort, on return, the wing struck water and the pilot lost control. There were no major injuries.

Nepal Update

Update
Fourteen unidentified tourists who died in the crash remain unidentified due to the lack of experts and equipment who can do DNA testing in Nepal. Thursday the team was augmented by three German medical and forensic experts, and more are expected Friday. DNA samples will be taken and sent out of the country.

What: Canadian built Twin Otter owned by Yeti Airlines
Where: crashlanded at the mountainous Lukla airport in north-eastern Nepal in the Mount Everest region
When: Wednesday morning
Who: 18 people died in the crash, mostly foreign tourists from Germany and Australia: 12 Germans, including six women, four Nepalese and two Australian. The captain is the only survivor; he was airlifted to Kathmandu. There Swiss casualties reported turned out to be Australian.
Why: Lukla airport, located 2,743 metres above sea-level has steeply-inclined runway and is considered one of the world’s most dangerous airports.

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