Aviation Safety Report 2016 Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Published by: Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Directorate Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Head Office, Babarmahal Kathmandu, Nepal Phone : +977-1-4262387, 4262518, 4262326 Fax : +977-1-4262516 Website: www.caanepal.org.np © Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Foreword The vitality of air transport industry in the based upon the guiding principles of ICAO economic growth and development of a nation through various regulatory arrangements is more pronounced in todays globalized world. including safety oversight activities. Accordingly, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) three measures in the areas of regulation, realizes that one of the key elements to technology and training have been adopted. As maintaining the vitality of civil aviation is to part of implementation of these measures, CAAN ensure safe, secure, efficient and environmentally has taken a number of steps which include sustainable flight at the national, regional and amendment of regulations empowering inspectors international level. to carry out effective safety oversight function, enforcement of SMS requirements, making As a regulator of civil aviation activities in the mandatory the flight simulation training in aircraft country, CAAN has the responsibility of ensuring type simulators for pilots, and provision of frozen safety and promoting air transportation in the ATPL training for CPL holders. In these and for country. CAAN sets Requirements based on the all other emergent needs, CAAN is committed Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) to synergize with the airlines and industry partners stipulated in various Annexes to the Convention in raising standards and implementing best on International Civil Aviation. Based on these practices under the guidance and assistance of requirements, air transport industry needs to ICAO and regional organizations. deliver safe and quality services in their respective areas of operation while maintaining a high level This Safety Report is the first-ever publication of capacity and efficiency in their endeavors. of CAAN. It presents a cursory overview of updates on safety indicators including accidents Safety is paramount in aviation, risk being its that occurred during the last10 years (2006 inherent factor. While managing safety is the 2015). Besides, it also considers associated risk joint responsibility of the regulating authority factors, USOAP audit results and updates, while and aviation service providers, service provider also accounting for safety priorities of the State organizations are required to implement Safety and the industry. Management System so as to reduce the risk of accidents and incidents in their respective areas of operations. CAAN is committed to achieving and maintaining an acceptable level of safety (Sanjiv Gautam) Director General Contents Contents Foreword USOAP Audit 16 Executive Summary 1 Safety Strategies 20 Introduction 4 International cooperation 22 Safety 5 Reform in Civil Aviation System 23 Acronyms 24 Aircraft Operations 6 Appendices: Air Traffic Movement 7 Appendix 1: Operating Airlines and fleet 25 Accident of Nepalese Registered Aircraft 9 Appendix 2: Aeroplane accident 26 Challenges of aircraft operations in Nepal 13 Appendix 3: Helicopter accident 28 Safety Measures to reduce accident 14 Appendix 4: Foreign Aircraft Accident 29 Implementation of safety recommendations 15 Appendix 5: Ultralight Aircraft Accident 30 Executive Summary Executive Summary Flying environment Safety indicators Accidents Difficult and rugged topography, coupled with Accident rate and compliance of SARPs under ever-changing, adverse weather conditions, put the confirmatory audit results are considered to heavy constraints on safety, efficiency and be the safety indicator of civil aviation system regularity of air transportation in Nepal. Small in a State. Accident data from 2006-2015, turbo-prop aircrafts, DHC-6 300/400 and DO- represented in various tables and figures in this 228, operate in most of the airfields that are report, reveal that majority of accidents are located either in narrow valleys or hill-tops. associated with the turbo-prop aeroplane with There are 19 airline companies comprising capacity of 19 seats or less, which mostly operate scheduled and non-scheduled operators, in STOL airfields of the country. The chart below helicopter operators and recreational operators shows that there have been 11 accidents with showing a heterogeneous mix of fleet in the 134 fatalities with turbo-prop aircraft having 19 domestic sector. Besides, three other scheduled or less seat capacity. Except for one, there have operators are operating internationally. During been no major mishaps on trunk routes to and the past 10 year span, air traffic movement has from Kathmandu in the past 32 years. As regards been consistent on average, though with marginal helicopter operations, there have been 13 downturn in some years. accidents resulting in 33 fatalities. Recreational 24 Helicopter 13 33 Single-engine 1 Accident Turbo-prop aeroplane £ 19 seat 11 134 Fatality Turbo-prop > 19 seat 0 Jet 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Chart 1: Accident-Fatality of Nepalese registered aircraft (2006-2015) Aviation Safety Report 2016 1 Accounting for high risks associated with flight felt in the areas of training, licensing, operations, controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) airworthiness, flight operations and maintenance. still remains the major contributor to the total aircraft accident and fatality. Out of 12 accidents Safety indicators Audit Results recorded during the last 10 years (including a accident in 2016) 5 accidents are CFIT related, Recognizing that the level of effective with 100 fatalities. It is apparent that the implementation of the Critical elements is an challenges surrounding aircraft operations in indication of a State's capability for safety Nepal are intrinsically associated with CFIT, oversight, CAAN has ever been committed to turbo-prop (£ 19 seats) operations, hostile responding to various deficiencies in its safety topographical constraints, adverse weather system as pointed out under USOAP audits, patterns and unavailability of en route weather information, high altitude STOL operations, and ICVM, and Offsite validation. Figures on the VFR operational limitations, among other States status of and progress in the effective unapparent conditions. With a view to reduce implementation of CEs demonstrate continuous, accident rates, CAAN has undertaken various overall improvement by 43 %, 55 % and 58.4 safety measures focused on improvement needs % in 2009, 2013 and 2016, respectively. Previous%EI Current%EI 77.27% 69.57% 69.05% 69.57% 59.00% 58.20% 59.70% 54.70% 55.96% 45.45% 43.90% 38.50% 39.80% 20.40% 22.70% 20.40% LEG ORG PEL OPS AIR AIG ANS AGA Chart 2: USOAP audit result 2 Aviation Safety Report 2016 Strategies, Initiatives and Reformation Civil aviation has experienced several signs and milestones indicative of conduciveness for Safety strategies are primarily associated with reinforcement of aviation safety system in the the regulator and service providers. Strategies country. The transformation of CAAN from the adopted by CAAN constitute a holistic response erstwhile DCA in 1998 was essentially an to deficiencies identified during USOAP audits, important signpost to that end. It is also important ICVM and Offsite validation. CAAN conducts to spotlight the State visit of ICAO Council its activities in accordance with the President Mr. Roberto Kobeh Gonjalez to Nepal in 2012, which provided enough leverage for recommendations made by ICAO with regard the State and CAAN in their initiatives towards to such deficiencies. CAAN is geared to attain segregating service provider functions from the EI by more than 60 per cent in USOAP and regulatory regime of CAAN, strengthening safety alleviate SSC in the forthcoming ICVM. On a oversight capability of the Regulator and broader level, an initiative on international reviewing the legal frameworks in line with collaboration with EASA has been undertaken Chicago Conventions and other ICAO in the area of aircraft maintenance. Likewise on Regulations. Currently, an Integrated Civil Flight Operations and Airworthiness, CAAN has Aviation Act and other related documents as part benefitted from technical missions and training of broad spectrum targets are underway under a programmes of COSCAP-SA under the patronage Capacity Development Project. Efforts to separate of ICAO. Moreover, to resolve safety concerns Aerodrome Operations and Air Navigation and other deficiencies, ICAO and Nepal have Services from the Civil Aviation Authority of signed an ICAO Safe Fund Project Agreement Nepal are also underway. A new Civil Aviation in 2015, which aims to provide technical Act is undergoing a conclusive review at the assistance in the areas of OPS, AIR and PEL. Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Aviation Safety Report 2016 3 Introduction Nepal constitutes a unique geographical feature Introduction coupled with adverse ever-changing weather phenomenon associated with the Himalayas and Nepal is the Himalaya nation renowned for its altitudinal variations. Among total of 50 airports natural beauty, amazing flora and fauna, rich of the country, including an international airport, cultural and historical heritage and many more. 32 airports are in operations. Many airports in Tourism is a high potential area that can play a Nepal are lying either in the narrow valley of significant role