Pilot's mental stress responsible for US-Bangla plane crash: report

Kathmandu, Jan. 27: The US Bangla Airlines that crashed at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on 12 March 2018 had met with the accident due to disorientation and complete loss of situational awareness by crew members, concluded the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission (AAIC).

“Contributing to this, the aircraft was offset to the proper approach path that led to maneuvers in a very dangerous and unsafe attitude to align with the runway,” concluded the AAIC led by Yajna Prasad Gautam, former government secretary.

It submitted the report to the government on Sunday.

According to the report, there was clear evidence that the pilot was harboring severe mental stress. He was irritable, tensed, moody and aggressive at times. He exhibited undue aggressive behaviour and anger at the ATC personnel as well as operation staff.

The pilot had also used foul language and abusive words in conversation with a junior female first officer. He seemed very unsecure about his future as he had submitted resignation from the company verbally. He said he did not have any job and did not know what he was going to do for living, read the report.

The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and passengers confirmed that the pilot was smoking in the cockpit.

The report said that landing of the aircraft was completed in a sheer desperation after sighting the runway, at a very close proximity and very low attitude. Similarly, the pilot did not attempt to carry out go-around when a go-around seemed possible until the last instant before the touchdown on the runway.

The loss of situational awareness forced the pilot to make some dangerous moves of aircraft at a very low altitude in the hilly and mountainous terrain around TIA.

After impact on the ground the uncontrolled aircraft ran out of the runway, hit the runwayperimeter fence and rolled down the slope into the grass field and caught fire which engulfed theaircraft, read the report.

“It is evident that there were a number of procedural violations during the flight by the cockpit crew,” read the report. “The pilot seemed to be under stress due to behaviour of a particular female colleague in the company and lack of sleep the preceding night.”

The investigation committee also concluded that the pre-flight briefing and commencement of flight departure was made at improper timing – operational pre-flight briefing was given early morning but the flight departure time was around noon and there were four domestic short flights scheduled in between.

The aircraft was performing its scheduled flight from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Kathmandu.

According to the report, there was no evidence of any defect or malfunction in the aircraft that could have contributedto the accident. There was no evidence of system malfunction prior to the accident.

“ATC at the TIA tried their best to assist the pilot providing landing opportunity at any runway in convenience of the pilot and ensuring the airspace clear to avoid further conflict with other aircrafts.”

The accident killed 51 passengers including 4 crew members – 28 Bangladeshis, 22 Nepali and 1 Chinese, and injured 20. The aircraft was completely destroyed in the accident.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 28 January 2019.