BHADRAPUR, Jan 4: Flight operations at Bhadrapur Airport in Jhapa have resumed after the runway was shortened following a Buddha Air aircraft accident on Friday night.
According to Airport Chief Kishor Kumar Khatri, the runway, which is normally 1,500 meters long, has been reduced by 100 meters and is now operating at 1,400 meters.
The runway was shortened as a safety measure because the rear section of the crashed aircraft remains off track. Khatri said the tail section could pose an obstruction, so pilots have been formally notified that only 1,400 meters of runway is available. He added that this length is sufficient for ATR aircraft.
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The airport office has reached a preliminary conclusion that bad weather was not the cause of the accident. Khatri said weather conditions were clear at 9:10 pm when the aircraft landed.
“From our side, there was no weather-related issue. So this accident does not appear to have been caused by weather,” Khatri said. “It may have been due to a technical problem, but the exact cause will only be known after a detailed investigation.”
The Buddha Air ATR 72 aircraft, which had flown from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, went out of control during landing and overran the runway by about 300 meters to the east, ending up in a field.
There were 51 passengers, four crew members, and one engineer on board. Seven people, including co-pilot Sushant Shrestha, were injured in the accident.
Co-pilot Shrestha, who sustained head and facial injuries, is receiving treatment at Om Sai Pathibhara Hospital in Bhadrapur. The other six injured passengers have been discharged after receiving general treatment.
The airport office said efforts are underway to remove the damaged aircraft from the accident site.
