The helicopter crash occurred due to critical weather in
Taplejung,
Nepal.[10] The crash killed all seven people on board, including Nepalese Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Rabindra Prasad Adhikari. The pilot of the helicopter reported heavy snowfall in the area of the
airport and stated that he was unable to remain airborne, according to The Kathmandu Post. After the incident
Air Dynasty was informed at 1:30 p.m.
Nepal Standard Time (NPT).[11]
The helicopter crashed at
Sisne Khola,
Pathibhara, Taplejung, Nepal.
Nepalese police reported that Rabindra Adhikari and another passenger were in an identifiable state.[12] Moments after the helicopter went missing, Taplejung residents reported to the police that they had heard a loud bang and seen smoke and fire in the area.[13] Suraj Bhattarai, a witness also reported to the police "The helicopter is in pieces, and scattered all over".[14] The helicopter caught fire after hitting
Chuchche Dada and falling down to Sisne Khola.[15]
Aftermath
The
Office of the Prime Minister declared 28 February 2019 to be national mourning day in Nepal to pay respect to those who died in the helicopter crash.[16] Nepal's
Home MinisterRam Bahadur Thapa said "All educational institutes, government offices, diplomatic missions will remain closed with a national flag lowered half-mast to mourn the death."[17] Thapa also said that "The national flag will be hoisted at half-staff to mourn the departed souls."[18]
The bodies of four people were brought to
Suketar Airport on Wednesday afternoon.
Chief District Officer of Taplejung District Anuj Bhandari said "There has been heavy snowfall. We could not take out all the bodies. We will try again tomorrow", he also added that recovering bodies in the crash site is difficult due to helicopter crash site being at the slope of a hill.[19]
Nepal's prime minister
Khadga Prasad Oli and
Pushpa Kamal Dahal told the media "The country has lost a dependable youth leader with abundant possibilities in the demise of Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari".[20]
Mourning the loss of their managing director,
Yeti Airlines, and
Tara Air cancelled all flights on 1 March 2019.[21][22]
The bodies of the passengers and the pilot were brought to
Kathmandu on February 28 at 12:10 p.m.[23]Nepal Communist Party (NCP) said all of the bodies would be cremated with state honours at Ramghat in
Nepal. Before the funeral Adhikari's body would be kept at Exhibition Centre at local Nayabazar to pay respect toward him[24][25] and his body would be cremated at
Pokhara,
Nepal.[26]
Four months after the accident, the investigation committee released a preliminary report which blamed violations of operating procedures, such as a misbalance of weights and an inexperienced
pilot,[28] and the weather conditions[29] for causing the crash.