| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Company | Altitude Air |
| Aircraft | 9N-AMS |
| Captain | Bibek Khadka |
| Sector | Lukla – Lobuche (Rescue flight) |
| Departure Time (Lukla) | 07:43 LT |
| Update | Pilot uninjured, no passengers on board |
| Cause | Probably slipped on the snow while trying to land |
Details of the Crash of Altitude Air 9N-AMS in Lobuche
Altitude Air is one of the handful of helicopter operators in Nepal. It has a fleet of three helicopters- all of which are the Airbus H125 type, which are registered:
- 9N-AMS
- 9N-AMX
- 9N-AON
The 9N-AMS, which crashed today in Lobuche was delivered to the carrier in 2017. (9N-AMS was dispatched from Airbus Helicopter Southeast Asia, Singapore on 29th August in 2017. Before landing in Tribhuvan International Airport, it transited the following places:
- Surat Thani of Thailand
- Yangon in Myanmar
- Dhaka in Bangladesh
- Biratnagar in Eastern Nepal
The aircraft had been involved in a variety of rescue missions in the past too.
The H125 is also remembered for the numerous records it holds:
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In 2005, an AS350 B3 helicopter made aviation history by achieving the highest-altitude landing and takeoff ever recorded — on Mount Everest at 8,848 metres (29,029 feet) — a record that still remains unbeaten.
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Later, in May 2013, the same model accomplished another milestone by carrying out the highest long-line rescue mission on Lhotse, the world’s fourth-tallest peak, at an altitude of 7,800 metres (25,590 feet).
A Heavy Snowfall: The reason behind the Altitude Air’s helicopter crash?
CNN reported that ” (Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal) CAAN video showed the helicopter, which slipped on the snow while landing, lying on its side”, though the author hasn’t been able to locate the video referenced.
The video (above) of the crash that the author was sent by the people recording the crash definitely shows that Lobuche area, which lies in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality-5 area, was snow-leaden. CNN also hinted at inclement weather in the Everest region:
“Weather officials have forecast heavy rain and snow on Thursday and Friday due to the passage of Cyclone Montha, which roared into India’s southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night. On the Tibetan side of Everest, ticket sales had been suspended since Tuesday afternoon as roads turned icy and visibility plunged, creating impassable conditions for vehicular traffic, according to the tourism department of Tingri county.”
All in All
While Nepal does get a lot of criticism for its checkered safety record, this incident can go down as one that was most likely caused by inclement weather conditions. The chopper was well below its service ceiling at the altitude where it was going on the rescue mission. Every aviation enthusiast in the world is waiting for the details of the crash to come out.
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