Pokhara crash preliminary report: Investigators suspect human error
Kathmandu (PTI): The Yeti Airlines aircraft which crashed in Nepal last month killing 71 people, including five Indians, lost thrust and fell after the propellers of both engines went into a feathered position, according to a preliminary probe report which lead investigators to suspect human error behind the deadly crash.
Yeti Airlines flight 691, after taking off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on January 15, crashed on the Seti River gorge between the old airport and the new airport in the resort city of Pokhara.
There were 72 people including four crew members onboard the ATR-72 aircraft when it crashed, but rescue officials have so far managed to recover only 71 bodies with the other missing passenger presumed dead.
It is rare for the propellers of both engines to come to a feathered position, said one of the members of the five-member probe committee, which is also mentioned in the 14-page preliminary report posted on the website of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation of Nepal.
"Human factor in the accident could not be disregarded. So it is an issue of investigation," said the member on condition of anonymity.
"When both propellers were feathered, the investigation team observed that both engines of 9N-ANC were running flight idle condition during the event flight to prevent over torque," states the preliminary report.
"As per the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) all the recorded parameters related to engines did not show any anomaly," adds the report.
"When Air Traffic Controller (ATC) gave the clearance for landing at 10:57:07, the Pilot Flying (PF) mentioned twice that there was no power coming from the engines," the report further says.
"During the time of the crash, the prevailing visibility was 6 km and the sky was almost clear with only a few clouds," points out the preliminary report.
According to experts, the pilots unintentionally pulled the condition levers causing the engine to shut down and feather the propellers. Each lever starts and stops the fuel supply, and controls the idle speed for its respective engine.
One investigator said that they found the levers pulled down at the crash site.
"We are waiting for a detailed report. We cannot ascertain what happened before that," said a probe committee member.
"Yes, there is also the issue of flaps. There are questions about why the pilots delayed extending the flaps. The routine checklists were not followed. There are many factors to look at," Joint Secretary at the Tourism Ministry Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane - a senior member of the probe committee -- was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post newspaper.
As per International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the state investigating an accident or incident must produce a preliminary report within 30 days of the accident.
The final report should be produced within 12 months of the accident.
According to the preliminary report, the flight crew had made two flights between Kathmandu and Pokhara earlier in the morning. The flight that crashed was the third in a row by the same crew.
There were two captains on the plane. Captain Anju Khatiwada was in the process of obtaining aerodrome familiarisation for operating in Pokhara, and Captain Kamal KC was the instructor pilot on this training flight.
The take-off, climb, cruise, and descent to Pokhara were normal.
At 10:56:12, the pilots extended the flaps to the 15 degrees position and pushed the landing gear lever to the down position. Khatiwada then disengaged the autopilot system at an altitude of 721 feet above the ground.
Khatiwada then called for "FLAPS 30", and Captain KC replied, "Flaps 30 and descending." The flight data recorder (FDR) did not record any flap surface movement at that time.
Instead, the propeller rotation speed of both engines decreased simultaneously to less than 25 per cent and the torque, the force that causes an opposite rotation, started decreasing to zero per cent, which is consistent with both propellers going into the feathered condition, the report said.
When the propellers are feathered, they don't produce thrust that pushes the aircraft forward. As per the flight data recorder, no recorded parameters related to the engines showed any anomaly.
When the air traffic controller gave the clearance for landing, Captain Khatiwada twice mentioned that there was no power in the engines.
The report said that the aircraft's airworthiness certificate was valid till April 24, 2023.
Nepal's investigators have received analytical support from Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau.
The airport, built with China's assistance, was hastily inaugurated and operated without adequate preparations to meet the January 1 project deadline. Flight calibration, which tests all pieces of equipment at the new airport, has yet to recommend landing from the west. The calibration report is due to be published on February 26.
The flight procedure has not been published either. Airlines have very little information about airport procedures and data, according to experts.
The AAIC has stated that further investigation will focus on the circumstances under which both propellers went into the feathered condition, human factors, and visual approach procedures, including simultaneous operation of both national and international airports, according to media reports.
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Canada is already examining tariffs on certain US items following Trump's tariff threat
Toronto (AP/PTI): Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the United States should President-elect Donald Trump follow through on his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products, a senior official has said.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don't stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across southern and northern borders. He said he would impose a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders.
But Trump posted Wednesday evening on Truth Social that he had a "wonderful conversation" with new Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and she "agreed to stop Migration through Mexico".
"Mexico will stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately. THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD STOPPING THE ILLEGAL INVASION OF THE USA. Thank you!!!" Trump posted.
It was unclear what impact the conversation will have on Trump's plan to impose tariffs.
In Canada, a government official said on Wednesday that Canada is preparing for every eventuality and has started thinking about what items to target with tariffs in retaliation. The official stressed no decision has been made. The person spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly.
When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the US in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Many of the US products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports USD 3 million worth of yogurt from the US annually and most comes from one plant in Wisconsin, home state of then-House Speaker Paul Ryan. That product was hit with a 10 per cent duty.
Another product on the list was whiskey, which comes from Tennessee and Kentucky, the latter of which is the home state of then-Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell.
Trump made the threat Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though the numbers at Canadian border pale in comparison to the southern border.
The US Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone — and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian one between October 2023 and September 2024.
Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are ready to make new investments in border security and work with the Trump administration to lower the numbers from Canada. The Canadians are also worried about a influx north of migrants if Trump follows through with his plan for mass deportations.
Trump also railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border pale in comparison to the Mexican border. US customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border.
Canadian officials argue their country is not the problem and that tariffs will have severe implications for both countries.
Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Nearly USD 3.6 billion Canadian (USD 2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60 per cent of US crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85 per cent of US electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the US and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a emergency virtual meeting on Wednesday with the leaders of Canada's provinces. He stressed they need to present a united front.
"I don't want to minimize for a moment the gravity of the challenge we now face," Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said. "Now is really a moment for us not to squabble amongst ourselves."
The provincial premiers want Trudeau to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States that excludes Mexico.
Sheinbaum, Mexico's president, said earlier Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs "if the situation comes to that."
She later said she talked to Trump and had "an excellent conversation".
