The Yeti Airlines crash in Nepal that killed 72 people nearly a year ago was caused by pilots mistakenly cutting power, leading to an aerodynamic stall, an investigation team concluded on Thursday.
The ATR 72 plane of private airline Yeti Airlines, crashed shortly before landing in the tourist town of Pokhara on January 15, becoming one of the worst plane crashes in Nepal in 30 years. All 72 passengers perished.
Dipak Prasad Bastola, an aeronautical engineer and a member of the investigating panel, claimed that due to lack of awareness and standard operating procedures, the pilots put the levers, which control power, in the feathering position instead of selecting the flap lever. This caused the engine to “run idle and not produce thrust.”
But due to its momentum, the aircraft flew for up to 49 seconds before hitting the ground.
It was the deadliest plane crash in Nepal since 1992, when a Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A300 crashed into a hillside on the approach to Kathmandu, killing all 167 people on board.
The European Union has banned Nepali airlines from operating in its airspace since 2013, citing security concerns.
