Nepal plane crash might have been caused by runway confusion
Nepalese investigators have retrieved the black box of the Bangladeshi plane that crashed in Kathmandu on Monday killing 49 people. Authorities on Tuesday said that the conversation between the air traffic controllers and the pilot before the tragedy indicated a possible confusion over the runway. The Dhaka to Kathmandu US-Bangla Airlines flight was carrying 67 passengers and four crew members on board. Here's more.
Plane caught fire after it careened off the runway
The plane caught fire after it careened off the runway and plowed into a football ground near Tribhuvan International Airport. "The flight data recorder has been recovered we have kept it safely," said Raj Kumar Chettri, the airport's General Manager, adding that an investigation into the cause of the crash had begun. The airline and airport authorities have blamed each other for the tragedy.
Crash, the worst in the country in 25 years
The crash is the worst in the country in 25 years. The airline and airport authorities blamed each other after it emerged that there was confusion over landing instructions. There were 33 Nepalese nationals on board flight UBG 211, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400. Others include 32 Bangladeshis, one Chinese, and one Maldivian. Nepal's government formed a six-member committee to probe the crash-landing.
The possible confusion between pilot and Air Traffic Control
According to a report, the last four minutes of the conversation between the pilot and Air Traffic Control at the airport indicates a possible confusion in the mind of the pilot about Runway 02 (the southern end) and Runway 20 (the northern end). The Nepali pilots of other aircraft are heard warning the ATC that the US-Bangla pilot seems disoriented, stated another report.
