Yeti Airlines: A history of aviation incidents, who is to blame?

A Yeti Airlines plane, ANC ATR 72-500, crashed in Pokhara, western Nepal at around 11 am Sunday. There were 68 passengers on board and four crew members, including 53 Nepalese nationals, five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, one national from Ireland, Argentina and France. The aircraft, which was a short-haul twin-engine turboprop, belonged to Nepal’s second largest domestic carrier Yeti Airlines. The plane crashed into a hill and rolled over into the rivulet.. Rescue operations are currently on war footing as the damage is registered and a full investigation commences.

This is not the first or even the second time that Yeti Airlines has been at the centre of tragedy. There have been reports suggesting that the airline uses archaic technology not in line with international standards. 

May 29, 2022: Tara Air flight

In May last year, a Tara Air flight, which is a sister airline of Yeti Airlines crashed killing all 22 people on board. The small plane crashed near Nepal’s Lete hill. The 9N-AET Twin Otter aircraft was travelling from Pokhara to Jomson carrying four Indians, 13 Nepali passengers, three Japanese nationals, two Germans, along with three Nepalese crew members.

July 29, 2022: Yeti AT72 at Pokharam

A Yeti Airlines Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration 9N-ANG performing YT-672 from Pokhara to Kathmandu (Nepal) with 45 people on board, was climbing out of Pokhara when the left hand engine (PW127) failed prompting the crew to shut the engine down and return to Pokhara for a safe landing about six minutes after departure. The airport reported the left hand engine failed immediately after the aircraft was airborne.

July 12, 2019: Yeti AT72 at Kathmandu

A Yeti Airlines Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration 9N-AMM performing flight YT-422 from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu (Nepal) with 66 passengers and three crew members, landed on Kathmandu's runway 02 but veered right off the runway and came to a stop with all gear on soft ground. There were no injuries, the aircraft suffered minor damage. Air Traffic Control (ATC) announced the airport was closed due to an aircraft skidded off the runway. The airline reported a runway excursion incident, all 66 passengers (64 adults, 2 infants) and three crew remained uninjured. The airport reopened about eight hours after the accident.

September 1, 2018: Yeti JS41 at Kathmandu

A Yeti Airlines BAe Jetstream 41, registration 9N-AHW performing flight YT-1424 from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu with 21 passengers and 3 crew, landed on Kathmandu's runway but veered left off the runway and came to a stop off the runway. Five passengers were injured, the aircraft sustained substantial damage (at least nose gear collapsed). Tribhuvan Airport reported 5 passengers received serious injuries and were taken to a hospital, the other passengers and crew were safe. The aircraft suffered gear damage.

May 27, 2018: Yeti JS41 at Bharatpur

A Yeti Airlines BAe Jetstream 41, registration 9N-AIH performing flight YT-175 from Bharatpur to Kathmandu Nepal with 22 people on board, was in the initial climb out of Bharatpur when one of the engines ingested a bird prompting the crew to return to Bharatpur for a safe landing. The aircraft was still on the ground in Bharatpur about 8 hours after landing. 

March 18, 2018: Yeti JS41 at Bhairahawa

A Yeti Airlines BAe Jetstream 41, registration 9N-AJC performing flight T3-893 from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa with 26 people on board, landed in Bhairahawa but malfunctioned on the runway due to a locked wheel. The passengers had to disembark onto the runway. Nepalese media report a nose wheel locked up.

October 8, 2008: Yeti Airlines DHC6 at Lukla

A Yeti Airlines de Havilland DHC6 Twin Otter, registration 9N-AFE operating scheduled flight 0Y-103 from Kathmandu to Lukla with 16 passengers and 3 crew, crashed on landing at Lukla airport. The aircraft burst into flames after hitting the airport fence and ground just before and underneath the threshold of runway 06. The fire took two hours to extinguish, with the plane sliding down 50 metres from the original point of impact. The flight had taken off from Kathmandu Airport with 12 German passengers, 2 Australian passengers and 2 Nepalese passengers. Only the captain survived with all passengers as well as the first officer and the stewardess having died in the crash. 

September 24, 2016: Yeti JS41 at Bhairawa

A Yeti Airlines Jetstream 41, registration 9N-AIB performing flight YT-893 from Kathmandu to Bhairawa with 29 passengers and three crew members, landed on Bhairawa's runway 28 but overran the end of the runway and came to a stop on rough terrain about 350 feet past the runway end. There were no injuries although the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

August 20, 2015: Yeti JS41 at Bhairahawa

A Yeti Airlines Jetstream 41, registration 9N-AJC performing flight YT-894 from Bhairahawa to Kathmandu with 28 people on board, was accelerating for takeoff from Bhairahawa when the crew decided to reject takeoff at high speed due to a flock of birds on the runway. The aircraft veered off the runway and came to a safe stop off the runway. The passengers disembarked normally. The airline confirmed the runway excursion onto a grassy field during the rejected takeoff due to a flock of birds on the runway. All occupants are safe. The airline denied reports that the aircraft went off the runway due to a burst tyre as widely reported in Nepalese media or broke through a fence as reported by press in the UK.

June 17, 2015: Yeti JS41 at Biratnagar

A Yeti Airlines Jetstream 41, registration 9N-AHY performing flight YT-792 from Biratnagar to Kathmandu (Nepal) with 27 passengers and 2 crew, was just rotating for takeoff from Biratnagar when the left hand engine (TPE331) was struck by a bird. The aircraft continued takeoff, climbed to safe altitude and returned for a safe landing. A replacement aircraft delivered the passengers to Kathmandu.

June 21, 2015: Yeti JS41 at Dhangadhi

A Yeti Airlines BAe Jetstream 41, registration 9N-AHW performing flight YT-426 from Dhangadhi to Kathmandu (Nepal) with 9 passengers and 3 crew, was in the initial climb out of Dhangadhi when the crew needed to shut the left hand engine down and returned to Dhangadhi for a safe landing about five minutes after departure. 

Founded by the Sherpa brothers - Sonam Sherpa and Ang Tendi Sherpa and the late Ang Tshiring Sherpa who was the airline’s MD, Yeti airlines is currently led by CEO Anoj Rimal, Executive Chairman Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa and Managing Director Chanda Sherpa.

Nepal, located on a mountaineous terrain, hosts the most dangerous airports in the planet. The airports are located at extremely high altitudes which test the ability of the best of pilots. Lukla airport in Nepal is touted as one of the world’s most dangerous airports has been the site for major crashes in Nepal’s aviation history. Perched at 2,800m (9,200 ft) on a tiny outcrop of relatively flat land, it is nestled amongst the world’s tallest mountains.