Two AS350 helicopters collided while attempting to land at Pheriche helipad in Nepal on 3 November, killing a 47-year-old Indian tourist and injuring two others.
Vasanth Kumar Balaramudu, 47, from Chennai in India, was aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter. The other passenger, Shailesh Krishna Patel, 49, an Indian-origin New Zealand citizen, was airlifted to Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu after the collision. Both pilots were treated in Kathmandu after sustaining minor injuries.
Just after 8am, the collision took place at the helipad in Pheriche, along the trekking route to Everest Base Camp in Solukhumbu district, at an elevation of more than 4,200 metres. Air Dynasty Heli Service Pvt Ltd operated one AS350, registration 9N-AOD, which had taken off from Lukla Airport on a cargo flight. The other aircraft, registration 9N-AJR, was operated by Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd and carried two foreign tourists after departing Gorakshep, the final settlement before Everest Base Camp.
It appears the accident happened when two helicopters... attempted to land at the same spot.
Officials pointed to a breakdown in pilot coordination. Mukesh Dangol, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, said preliminary reports pointed to "miscommunication between the pilots".
Because the helipad is outside the reach of Lukla Airport's control tower, pilots must coordinate with one another there. Video footage shows clear weather and no visible effects from strong winds. It also appears that one helicopter descended faster than the other.
Why helicopters are essential in Nepal's mountains
Helicopters provide the only quick means of bringing down trekkers and climbers unable to walk, as there are no roads in the area. The Everest Base Camp trek alone takes around two weeks. Climbers come to the region in autumn, and expeditions to Everest and Ama Dablam mountain are now in progress.
Heavy snow had blocked the route during the peak trekking season. Conditions improved on Sunday 1 November, and the crash occurred amid this busy period. Nepal's challenging terrain and rapidly changing mountain weather make aviation operations particularly hazardous.
A collision unlike any in Nepal's history
Since 1966, Nepal has recorded at least 22 fatal helicopter crashes. The mid-air collision is thought to be the first involving helicopters in the country's history, but its precise cause remains unknown.
What we know
- Both aircraft were AS350 helicopters, a light, single-engine type.
- The collision occurred at Pheriche helipad on 3 November, just after 8am.
- Pilots had to coordinate directly with each other rather than via air traffic control.
Still unclear
- The exact cause of the collision has not been established.
- The total number of passengers on board both helicopters at the time of the crash has not yet been confirmed.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal is recording statements from surviving crew and examining wreckage. Investigators are still verifying passenger lists for both flights.
