2024 Saurya Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 crash

On 24 July 2024, a Bombardier CRJ200LR operated by Saurya Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, killing 18 out of the 19 people on board. The aircraft was operating a ferry flight to Pokhara to conduct a maintenance check and was carrying three crew members and sixteen passengers, mostly consisting of Saurya employees. During takeoff, the aircraft rapidly rolled both left and right before losing altitude. The right wing collided with the ground to the side of the runway and the aircraft was destroyed by the impact and post-crash fire. The captain was the sole survivor of the crash.

The investigation, conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission, determined that the aircraft rotated at an airspeed lower than optimal and the captain commanded an abnormally high pitch rate. The result was a deep stall during takeoff that was unrecoverable due to the aircraft's low altitude. Several other contributing factors were also noted by investigators. The V-speeds the crew used were based on an erroneous speedcard that displayed incorrect values. Multiple events at Saurya Airlines involving high pitch rates during takeoff were left unidentified and unaddressed. The loading process of the cargo was negligent; operational and ground handling manuals were violated and the load was not secured. Saurya Airlines suspended all flights following the crash.