Is It Safe to Fly in Nepal? Domestic Flight Safety Explained

Nepal's skies carry a reputation that precedes them. Two fatal airline accidents in eighteen months, the Yeti Airlines crash at Pokhara in January 2023 and the Saurya Airlines crash at Kathmandu in July 2024, put that reputation back in world headlines, and every Nepali carrier has sat on the EU Air Safety List since 2013.

Yet hundreds of thousands of travellers fly safely within Nepal every year, and the jet and ATR trunk routes between major cities have a strong recent record. So what is the real story?

This guide covers what actually happened in the recent crashes and what the official investigations found, the longer history of aviation accidents in Nepal, how crashes are classified and caused, and, most practically, what you can do as a traveller to keep your own risk as low as possible.

The January 2023 Yeti Airlines Crash | What Happened?

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal mentioned that the twin-engine ATR 72 aircraft operated by Yeti Airlines crashed while landing in Pokhara. As per the report of CAAN, the plane took off at 10:33 am from Kathmandu's Tribhuwan International Airport and was close to landing at Pokhara Airport.

However, it crashed into a river gorge on the Seti River's bank - the mishap occurred 20 minutes after the take-off time. The total flight time from Kathmandu to Pokhara is 25 minutes, so it is said that the crash happened on the verge of descent. The plane's last contact with the airport was from Seti Gorge at 10:50 am - after that, it crashed.

As seen by the local witnesses, the plane caught fire while landing, which made the mishap more tragic. Also, it has been challenging for the rescue team to work effectively.

Local witnesses mentioned that half of the plane was on the hillside while the other half went into the Seti River gorge. They also stated that the aircraft tried not to hit the residential areas while crashing. There was a small space beside Seti River, where it went down by the fire. Several footages came out with the view of heavy smoke from the aircraft at that time.

As of now, hundreds of rescue personnel are working in the field. Military assistants, local people, and governmental rescue workers have tried their best to sort out the situation.

Similarly, there has been a cabinet meeting in the Constituent Assembly by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The rescue teams were allotted right after the mishap took place. He mentioned that he was 'deeply saddened by the sad and tragic accident.'

'I sincerely appeal to the security personnel, all agencies of the Nepal government, and the general public to start an effective rescue,' he wrote on his Twitter.

What Caused Yeti Aircraft's Crash?

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission released its final report in December 2023, and the cause was as stark as aviation findings get: the crew inadvertently moved both condition levers to the feathered position while configuring the aircraft for landing, an action meant for the flaps, which cut thrust from both engines at once. With no propeller thrust on the visual circuit to Pokhara's newly opened international airport, the ATR 72 stalled and crashed seconds from the runway.

The report cited high workload, inadequate adherence to standard operating procedures, and gaps in training for the new airport's visual approach as contributing factors. None of it involved weather, which was clear that morning, and none of it involved the aircraft, which was functioning normally until the levers were moved.

Who Are The Victims? Name And Nationality Revealed

Seventy-two people were on board when the Yeti Airlines aircraft crashed near Pokhara Airport on January 15, 2023. Sixty-eight were passengers, while four others were crew members. Recently, the reports of all demised passengers have come forth. Who are they? Let's take a look:

Reports show that 53 passengers out of 68 were Nepalese Citizens, while 5 Indians, 4 Russians, and one from Argentina, Ireland, Australia, and France were on board. 

The July 2024 Saurya Airlines Crash

Eighteen months later, on July 24, 2024, a Saurya Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200 crashed moments after take-off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, killing 18 of the 19 people on board; the captain was the sole survivor. The aircraft was on a ferry flight to Pokhara for maintenance, carrying mostly airline staff.

The final investigation report, released in July 2025, found that the aircraft entered a deep stall after an abnormally rapid rotation at a lower-than-required speed, traced to an erroneous take-off speed card, with improperly secured cargo and a weak company safety culture cited as contributing factors. The airline has been grounded since the accident, and the case accelerated calls for an independent accident-investigation authority and the long-debated split of Nepal's civil aviation regulator from its airport-operator role.

History of Plane Crashes In Nepal | How Many Have Died To Date?

To date, more than 42 plane crashes have taken place in Nepal, dating back to 1962. The first mishap in Nepal (Royal Nepal Airlines DC-3 crash) happened on August 1, 1962, near Tulachan Dhuri and all ten passengers lost their lives.

A series of plane crashes have followed since then. The Royal Nepal Airlines DC-3 crash was another plane crash that happened on July 12, 1969. It crashed in Hetauda in Makwanpur District, killing all 31 passengers and four crew members.

Similarly, in July 1992, an Airbus 310 operated by Thai Airways crashed while approaching the airport in Kathmandu and took the lives of 99 passengers and 14 crew on board. The plane hit the mountain 37 km north of Kathmandu due to the heavy rain. Also, in the September of the same year (1992), 167 people lost their lives in a Pakistan International Airlines plane crash. Reports cited that the aircraft collided with a mountain as it descended to Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu.

The following year in 1993, saw the mishap of Dornier aircraft operated by EverestAir near Chule Ghopte hill, killing 16 passengers and three crews. Similarly, a Twin Otter operated by Royal Nepal Airlines met with a tragic accident during its descent to Dhaulagiri Airport in July 2000, killing 22 passengers and three crew members.

Furthermore, the death of Princess Prekshya Shah of Nepal and five other passengers came on a chartered helicopter flight in November 2001.

Another six passengers and crew members lost their lives in a Yeti Aircraft accident in June 2006. Similarly, 24 passengers and crew members were killed in a chartered helicopter flight by Shree Air helicopter in 2006.

Buddha Airlines' Beechcraft 1900D is in the next queue in Nepal's history of plane crashes. The accident took the lives of nineteen passengers, out of which ten were Indians. Similarly, a Dornier plane crashed on a hilltop taking the lives of 15 people - 13 were Indian pilgrims. Moreover, the crash of UH-1Y Huey in Charikot took the lives of six US Marines and two Nepali Army personnel in May 2015. The motive of the flight was to assist in a campaign for Earthquake relief.

The crash of the Air Kashthamandap aircraft is next on the list - it crashed in Kalikot district, and two crew members died while eleven passengers were reported injured. Similarly, a US-Bangla airline with 71 passengers on board crashed on a football pitch in Kathmandu, killing fifty-one people and leaving the rest injured in March 2018.

An Air Dynasty helicopter crashed in February 2019 due to bad weather and took seven people's lives, including the Tourism Minister, Rabindra Adhikari. The recent crash is from May 2022, when a Tara Airplane crashed in the Mustang District of Nepal. The mishap killed all twenty-two passengers on board. The initial reports said that the plane met with a tragic accident due to bad weather.

How Many People Have Died In Airplane Crash In The World?

The sad reality of aircraft accidents has resulted in the loss of countless individuals globally, dating back to the beginning of powered flight.

The first fatality of a powered flight occurred in 1908 when Thomas Selfridge lost his life with Orville Wright during a showoff flight. Since then, the number of deaths resulting from airplane accidents has risen in proportion to the size and capacity of airplanes. 2014 was a tragic year for aviation, losing 520 lives in two devastating plane accidents. 

The first occurred with the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines MH370, leaving families and loved ones in a state of grief and uncertainty. 

Unfortunately, four months later, another tragedy struck with the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, compounding the heartbreak and sorrow felt by the aviation community.

Moreover, the fatal accident dates back to 1977, claiming the lives of 583 people in the Tenerife airport disaster.

In 1996, the Charkhi Dadri midair collision tragically resulted in the loss of 349 lives - the highest recorded number of fatalities from a midair collision. Similarly, the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center were also devastating, claiming the lives of 2,606 individuals.

If we were to count the commercial jet accidents, according to Boeing, there were 1,798 accidents, 603 of which were disastrous, resulting in 29,025 onboard fatalities and an additional 1,173 ground or noncommercial aircraft collision deaths, spanning the period of 1959 to 2011. However, their recent study suggests a drop in commercial aviation accident fatality rates in recent years.

In the context of Nepal, the gloriousness of Nepal's mountain ranges, which boast eight of the earth's 14 highest peaks, including Mount Everest, presents a challenging obstacle for the aviation industry. 

Over the past two decades, at least 309 individuals have tragically lost their lives due to plane or helicopter crashes in this rugged terrain. The unpredictable and rapidly changing weather conditions in Nepal can make flying difficult. 

The major Nepali accidents in that grim ledger, from the 1962 Royal Nepal DC-3 to the twin 1992 Thai Airways and PIA disasters and the 2018 US-Bangla crash, are covered in the history section above.

Despite the dangers, the allure of the mountains continues to draw adventurers and thrill-seekers from around the globe as the aviation industry in Nepal continues to operate with maximum caution and safety in mind. 

What Did the 2023 Crash Mean for Nepal's Tourism?

The 2023 Yeti crash sent shockwaves through the entire world. The tragedy has left the people of Nepal with a deep sense of grief and sorrow. The accident has also cast a shadow of doubt over the safety of air travel in Nepal.

The crash raised hard questions about the safety of air travel in Nepal, and bookings dipped in the immediate aftermath. The effect proved temporary: arrivals recovered strongly through 2023 and 2024, passing one million visitors a year again, as travellers weighed the tragedy against the millions of safe journeys completed by Nepali airlines.

In order to ensure the safety of tourists and restore faith in the tourism industry, the Nepal government has taken several steps. These include increasing the number of air traffic controllers and personnel, implementing the latest safety standards, and ensuring that all airlines adhere to the highest safety protocols. The government has also formed a special commission to investigate the cause of the accident.

Is It Safe to Fly in Nepal Now?

Here is the honest, current picture. As of mid-2026, Nepal has not recorded a fatal crash on a scheduled passenger airplane flight since the Saurya accident of July 2024, and the busy trunk routes between Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur, and the Terai cities, flown by modern ATR turboprops and regional jets, have an excellent recent record.

The structural caveats remain real. Every Nepali airline stays on the EU Air Safety List, a blanket judgment about regulatory oversight in place since 2013, and a 2025 review found key reforms, including an independent accident investigator and the separation of the regulator from the airport business, still pending. Most of the residual risk is concentrated where it always was: short, high-altitude STOL strips such as Lukla and Jomsom, and helicopter operations in mountain weather.

What does that mean for your trip? A few practical rules tilt the odds firmly in your favour:

• Fly in the morning, when mountain weather is calmest and completion rates are highest.
• Build a buffer day around any Lukla or Jomsom flight rather than chaining it directly to your international departure.
• Prefer trunk routes and established carriers; see our up-to-date guide to the best domestic airlines in Nepal.
• Buy travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation at trekking altitudes.
• Remember the road alternative: in peak seasons Lukla flights leave from Manthali/Ramechhap anyway, and jeep-plus-trek routings can skip the mountain flight entirely.

Beyond aviation, Nepal remains one of the safest countries in Asia for travellers in everyday terms, with low violent crime and a deeply hospitable culture.

What Has the Nepal Government Done For Aircraft And Passengers' Safety?

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) handles the airline guidelines aligning them to Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP). CAAN is a board responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring the plan in Nepal.

CAAN has worked on creating the manifesto of the National Aviation Safety Plan (NASP 2018-2022). It works on Safety Enhancement Initiatives (SEI) after successfully identifying the safety deficiencies in the national aviation system.

According to the NASP, there are several goals which include the following points:

• Achieve a continuous reduction of operational safety risks

• Strengthen the safety oversight capabilities of Nepal

• Implement Effective State Programmes (SSP)

Similarly, there have been developments in Safety Enhancement Initiatives. Some of them are listed below:

• Development of comprehensive regulatory oversight framework (GASP and SEI)

• Establishment of an independent accident and incident investigation authority

• Qualified technical personnel to support effective safety oversight

• Strategic collaboration with crucial aviation stakeholders to enhance safety in a coordinated manner

• Continued implementation of and compliance with ICAO SARPs at the national level.

Types of Airplane Crashes And Accidents

An accident, as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), is a tragic event linked with the operation of an airplane that takes place from the moment any individual boards the plane with the intention of flight until all passengers have left. 

This includes instances where a person sustains fatal or severe injuries, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure or becomes missing or completely inaccessible. However, experimental test flights, sabotage, hijacking, terrorism, or direct military action are not considered accidents. 

Depending on the severity of the incident, an accident can be categorized in various ways. One classification method is to identify the level of damage sustained, which can range from minor to catastrophic. Another approach is to evaluate the injuries imposed on individuals involved, ranging from minor to fatal. Additionally, the cost of repair or replacement of the aircraft can also be used as a metric for classification. These different classifications are commonly utilized in various taxonomies of accident categorization.

Damage: A thorough examination has determined that the damages sustained are beyond repair, or, if feasible, the expenses incurred for repairs would surpass half of the original cost of the aircraft at the time of purchase. 

Substantial damage is any harm that negatively impacts an aircraft's structural integrity, functionality, or aerodynamic properties. 

Minor Damage, considered minor, is characterized by its lack of significant impact on an aircraft's overall functionality and structural integrity. 

Fatal Injury: A fatal injury is a tragic occurrence resulting in the loss of life immediately or within 30 days following an accident. 

Serious Injury: On the other hand, a severe injury requires medical treatment and hospitalization for more than two days but not exceeding seven days after the incident.

This type of injury may include a fracture of any bone (except for simple fractures of the toes, fingers, or nose), damage to internal organs, muscle or tendon damage, burns of the second or third degree, or burns that cover more than 5 percent of the body. 

Accidents Classifications:-

Hull Loss Accident:- A Hull Loss Accident is a catastrophic occurrence in which the aircraft sustains irreparable damage or is destroyed. This classification encompasses incidents where the plane is lost or missing, and the wreckage or waste is not recoverable. 

Major Accident: In this category, the result bears severe consequences for those involved. It is defined as a situation where one of the following criteria is met:

· The aircraft was destroyed.

· Multiple individuals lose their lives.

· There is a single fatality accompanied by significant damage to the aircraft.

Fatal Event: A tragic event that results in the loss of life for one or more people on board the aircraft.

Damage Incident: An incident in which the aircraft sustained significant damage. 

Serious Accident: A severe accident that meets one of the following criteria:

1. A single fatality without substantial damage to the aircraft.

2. There is at least one severe injury and substantial damage to the plane.

Minor Accident: An accident where the aircraft has sustained minor damage. 

Common Causes of Airline Crashes

Airline crashes are unpredictable - often, they are caused without any prior intuition. The first and foremost cause of airline crashes is pilot error. Other common causes include mechanical failure, weather, and bird strikes.

Let's see them detail by detail:

Pilot Error:

Pilot error is the number one cause of airline crashes. It's responsible for about 85% of all commercial airline accidents. The reasons for the pilot error are many and varied. Sometimes it's simply a matter of inexperience or poor training. Other times, it may be a question of judgment or decision-making in a difficult situation. Fatigue can also play a role, as can distractions in the cockpit (including cell phones).

Mechanical Failure:

Mechanical failure is another common cause of airplane accidents. Although modern airplanes are incredibly reliable, they are still complex machines with many moving parts. Sometimes those parts fail, with potentially disastrous results. And even when an outright mechanical failure doesn't cause an accident, mechanical problems can still contribute to it (for example, if a plane loses power due to engine trouble and then crashes while the pilots are trying to land it).

Weather:

Weather is also a leading cause of airplane accidents. Turbulence, high winds, lightning strikes, and other severe weather conditions can make flying very dangerous (sometimes even impossible). The icing on an airplane's wings can also be problematic, as it can reduce lift and increase drag.

Bird Strike:

Lastly, bird strikes are a surprisingly common cause of airplane accidents (particularly during take-off and landing). A collision with even a small bird can damage an airplane.

Technologies That Could Help Prevent Airplane Crashes

Many different technologies could help prevent airplane crashes. Some of these include:

The Installation of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Systems: 

The ADS-B system allows air traffic controllers to track aircraft more accurately, which could help prevent collisions.

The Use of Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS): 

TAWS is a technology that can warn pilots about potential dangers on the ground, such as mountains, trees, or other obstacles. This could help prevent crashes due to pilot errors.

The Implementation of Runway Incursion Prevention Systems: 

These systems use radar and other sensors to detect potential runway incursions (when an aircraft or vehicle enters a runway without clearance). This information is then displayed to air traffic controllers, who can take action to prevent a collision.

The Use of Collision Avoidance System (CAS): 

CAS is a technology that uses sensors to detect potential collisions with other aircraft or objects. If a collision is imminent, the CAS will provide visual and auditory warnings to the pilots so they can take evasive action.

Conclusion

Certainly, aircraft mishaps are one of the most tragic accidents that happen in the world. The accidents of 2023 and 2024 caught people's attention worldwide. While the average rate of airplane crash fatality is one in 29.4 million people, it is still a dangerous thing that anyone could face. But with safety measures, you can board on a safe journey as it can be apprised with technical and mechanical support.

We share our heartfelt condolences with the families of everyone lost in the Pokhara and Kathmandu accidents. Their legacy should be, and slowly is becoming, a safer sky over Nepal.