Nepal Crash: 3 Reasons Why Tribhuvan International Airport is One of The Most Dangerous in The World

Kathmandu: At least 18 people were killed in a deadly plane crash at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Wednesday, July 24. As per officials, a total of 19 people were onboard the Saurya Airlines flight when the crash happened. However, the pilot managed to survive the accident.

This isn't the first time such an incident occurred in Nepal. India's neighbouring country has witnessed some of the deadliest plane crashes in history. As per the Aviation Safety database, at least 27 planes crashed in Nepal over the past 30 years.

In 2019, a Bangladeshi airliner crashed at Tribhuvan airport, which claimed the lives of 51 people while 20 on board survived.

The Tribhuvan Airport, catering to Kathmandu is considered to be one of the most challenging airports for pilots and bigger planes. Here's why:

The Himalayas:

The Tribhuvan International Airport is located in the Kathmandu Valley in central Nepal which is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides. Though the Himalayas are located many kilometres far away, it still affects the local weather and wind direction. The Himalayas can create turbulence and lead to sudden weather changes in the area which affects aircraft's landing.

Single Runway:

TIA only has one runway, meaning there is very little flexibility to manage air traffic. The length of the runway is also shorter in comparison to other international airports.

It is 3,000 metres long while other international airports have at least 3,500 metres long runways.

The runway is also built at a higher altitude which means it will take much longer for a flight to take off or land.

Advanced Skill Requirements for Pilot:

As per reports, pilots with advanced skills are generally assigned to TIA planes. The pilots are expected to be proficient at high altitude operations, weather assessment, TIA-specific instrument approach and some other regulatory requirements.