Date:	Wednesday 24 July 2024
Time:	11:13
Type:	Bombardier CRJ-200ER
Owner/operator:	Saurya Airlines
Registration:	9N-AME
MSN:	7772
Year of manufacture:	2003
Total airframe hrs:	28893 hours
Cycles:	29788 flights
Engine model:	GE CF34-3B1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 18 / Occupants: 19
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport (KTM/VNKT) -   Nepal
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport (KTM/VNKT)
Destination airport:	Pokhara Airport (PKR/VNPK)
Investigating agency:	Nepal AAIC
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Saurya Airlines Canadair CRJ-200ER has crashed on takeoff from runway 02 at Kathmandu Airport, Nepal, killing 18 of the 19 occupants.
The aircraft was being flown to Pokhara for maintenance (C-check). Among the passengers were aircraft maintenance engineers and airline staff and one child.

The flight preparation for the Saurya Airlines aircraft began approximately an hour before departure, with the First Officer (F/O) entering the cockpit first to carry out pre-start procedures. During this time, ground staff loaded the cargo compartment until it was completely full, after which additional baggage and equipment were loaded into the cabin. The F/O received preliminary weight and balance information and used it to calculate takeoff speeds. About 30 minutes before departure, the Pilot in Command (PIC) joined the cockpit, reviewed the completed tasks, and issued further instructions.
At 05:15 UTC, the crew were informed that more personnel were expected to board, and a short delay followed. After the last passengers arrived, the crew began engine start-up. Taxi began shortly thereafter, with elevator and aileron checks performed, followed by flaps being selected to 20 degrees.
The aircraft entered the runway and backtracked to the threshold of runway 02. At 05:25:25, the crew applied power for takeoff with both engines N1 power achieving 92% within 13 seconds.
At 05:25:55, the aircraft rotated at approximately 120 knots, reaching a pitch angle of 15 degrees and rolling 26 degrees to the right shortly after liftoff. Within seconds, a stick shaker warning activated, indicating an imminent stall. Despite a brief climb, the aircraft entered a series of unstable roll and pitch movements, including a steep left roll to 55 degrees, followed by a sharp roll to the right reaching nearly 95 degrees. A second stall warning occurred, and the stick pusher activated as the aircraft briefly pitched up to 19 degrees before falling to near-level.
Ultimately, the aircraft lost control and crashed into terrain east of the runway, approximately 6100 feet from the threshold. The right wing struck the ground first, and the wreckage was spread out over 1000 feet. Throughout the takeoff sequence, engine power remained stable, but the aircraft was never able to recover from its critical flight attitude and stall conditions.

Most Probable Cause
The most probable cause of the accident was a deep stall during take-off because of an abnormally rapid pitch rate commanded at a lower than optimal rotation speed.

Contributing Factors
The contributory factors to the accident are:
1. Incorrect speeds calculated based on erroneous speedcard. The interpolated speedcard of the operator for 18,500 kg TOW mentions incorrect V-speeds for take-off. This error in the speedcard went unnoticed since its development. There was no acceptance/approval of the speedcard booklet.
2. Failure to identify and address multiple previous events of high pitch rate during take-off by the operator.
3. The operator showed gross negligence in complying with the prevailing practices of ferry flight planning, preparation and execution. There is a lack of consistent definition of ferry flights.
4. Gross negligence and non-compliances by the operator during the entire process of cargo and baggage handling (weighing, loading, distribution and latching), while violating the provisions of operational manual and ground handling manual. The load was not adequately secured with straps, tie-downs, or nets, while the flight preparation was rushed.

Weather reported about the accident time (11:10 LT = 0525Z)
VNKT 240530Z 29003KT 8000 FEW010 SCT030 BKN100 26/22 Q1006 NOSIG
VNKT 240500Z 00000KT 8000 FEW010 SCT030 BKN100 26/22 Q1006 NOSIG

https://www.tourism.gov.np/files/9N-AME%20AIC%20Final%20Report.pdf

https://kathmandupress.com/detail/110501
https://kathmandupost.com/province-no-3/2024/07/24/saurya-airlines-aircraft-crashes-during-takeoff-in-kathmandu
https://www.facebook.com/thedmnnews/posts/pfbid0weg2tay3BBR7e1wMRcmCquZrMRQxgh9FAeof5v91YvUF91TeUnpfo74zmQboo9uZl
https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/saurya-airlines-plane-crash-15-dead-bodies-collected-from-crash-site/
https://twitter.com/BhambuAdv/status/1816025488768258202/photo/3?actAsUserId=18119570
https://twitter.com/hello_CAANepal/status/1816018708948718037/photo/1
https://en.himalpress.com/govt-forms-five-member-commission-to-probe-saurya-air-crash/

ex N695BR, 5N-BJI, ZS-NMG, N695BR

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


17 September 2018	9N-AME	Saurya Airlines	0	near Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport (KTM)		min
Bird strike

Photo: shankar s., 14 October 2019 (CC:by)

CCTV video of the Saurya Airlines CRJ-200 takeoff shows the aircraft descending in a right-wing low attitude until it struck the ground and burst into flames.pic.twitter.com/5ntlZasF3d

— Aviation Safety Network (ASN) (@AviationSafety) July 24, 2024

Footage of the Bombardier CRJ 200 crash in Nepal on July 24th, 2024. The pilot was the only survivor of the 19 people on board. pic.twitter.com/tm61wYX4PS

— Planesanity (@planesanity) July 25, 2024

#WATCH | This video reportedly shows the moment when the Saurya Airlines plane crashed at the TIA Airport in Kathmandu.

As per the reports 15 people have been killed.#Nepal #planecrash #Kathmandu #NepalPlaneCrash #VideoViral pic.twitter.com/CskSIk99cr

— Zayed Khan (@thisiszayedkhan) July 24, 2024

Saurya Airlines aircraft crashes during takeoff in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. 19 people were aboard the Pokhara-bound plane.#Nepal #SauryaAirlines #planecrash pic.twitter.com/bBshC2KRqK

— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) July 24, 2024

त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थलमा सौर्य एयरलाइन्सको जहाज दुर्घटना। थप विवरण आउन बाँकी । #tiracrash #plane #crash #kathmandu pic.twitter.com/BoOZIqdlZA

— Everestpedia (@everestpedia8) July 24, 2024

Saurya Airlines crash: Aircraft was flying to Pokhara for maintenance; 19 passengers were on board https://t.co/djYJSzV9Q8

— Kulchand Phombo (@kulchandphombo) July 24, 2024

નેપાળમાં વિમાની દુર્ઘટના, કાઠમંડુના ત્રિભુવન ઇન્ટરનેશનલ એરપોર્ટ પર ટેક ઓફ સમયે ધડાકો#nepal #plane #crash #saurya #airlines #flight #crashes #NewsCapitalGujarat #JaneCheGujarathttps://t.co/aQhtmRIokt

— NewsCapital Gujarat (@NewsCapitalGJ) July 24, 2024

We have processed the raw ModeS data from the aircraft that crashed less than one minute after take off from Kathmandu Airport.

The aircraft involved is a Bombardier CRJ-200ER with registration 9N-AME and serial number 7772. The aircraft was built in 2003.

Last signal from the… pic.twitter.com/ZumaZfHwkJ

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) July 24, 2024

The commission has been given 45 days to prepare its report. #HimalPress #Politics

"Govt forms five-member commission to probe Saurya Air crash" https://t.co/vSz8XyQKYd

— Himal Press (English) (@enhimalpress) July 24, 2024

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
24-Jul-2024 05:54	ASN	Added
24-Jul-2024 05:59	ASN	Updated [Time, Location, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:13	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Category, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:18	ASN	Updated [Time, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:21	ASN	Updated [Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:41	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:48	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:51	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:52	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:53	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:54	ASN	Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 06:59	ASN	Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, ]
24-Jul-2024 07:12	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 07:21	Iceman 29	Updated [Time, Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 07:25	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 07:27	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 07:36	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
24-Jul-2024 08:21	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, Photo, ]
24-Jul-2024 08:23	ASN	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Nature, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 08:27	ASN	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 10:14	ASN	Updated [Time, ]
24-Jul-2024 13:44	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 13:44	Iceman 29	Updated
24-Jul-2024 22:19	Iceman 29	Updated [Time, Nature, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Photo, ]
24-Jul-2024 22:23	Iceman 29	Updated [Narrative, ]
24-Jul-2024 22:26	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, Embed code, ]
25-Jul-2024 08:04	vasilf	Updated [Embed code, ]
25-Jul-2024 16:28	Bombardier	Updated [Aircraft type, ]
25-Jul-2024 17:42	tupolev	Updated [Nature, ]
25-Jul-2024 17:43	ASN	Updated [Narrative, ]
25-Jul-2024 21:39	Captain Adam	Updated [Embed code, ]
26-Jul-2024 09:49	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
30-Jul-2024 19:24	ASN	Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ]
06-Sep-2024 13:00	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]
06-Sep-2024 17:28	ASN	Updated
29-Dec-2024 19:59	ASN	Updated [Photo, ]
18-Jul-2025 17:31	ASN	Updated [Narrative, Accident report, ]
18-Jul-2025 17:33	Justanormalperson	Updated [Source, Narrative, Accident report, ]
19-Jul-2025 13:40	ASN	Updated [Narrative, ]