Bhadrapur (Nepal): It was a close shave for passengers and crew after a Buddha Air flight from Kathmandu veered off the runway while landing at the Bhadrapur airport in Nepal on Friday.
The aircraft – a turboprop – had 51 passengers and four crew members on board. All passengers and crew onboard escaped unhurt, though the incident triggered panic moments after touchdown, the airline had said, as reported by News18.
Technical and relief teams were dispatched from Kathmandu after the accident, the airline said.
“The flight number 901 from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, aircraft 9N-AMF, has veered off the runway while landing at Bhadrapur Airport. There were 51 passengers on board the aircraft. All passengers and crew [4 persons] are safe. A technical and relief team is being dispatched from Kathmandu on another aircraft,” the airline posted on X.
Flight trackers identified the aircraft as an ATR 72-500 turboprop.
According to officials, the aircraft overshot the runway by around 200 metres, coming to a halt near a rivulet and sustaining minor damage.
The Nepal Police posted on X that on 2082.09.18 (January 2, 2026), a Buddha Air flight carrying 51 passengers and four crew members from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur Airport in Jhapa district met with an accident during the landing process. All passengers and crew were safely rescued by Nepal Police along with other concerned authorities, and no casualties were reported.
Nepal’s aviation sector has often come under scrutiny, with several countries not allowing its airlines to operate from their soil. In July 2024, a Bombardier CRJ200LR of Saurya Airlines crashed after taking off from Kathmandu, killing 18 out of the 19 on board.
In January 2023, a Yeti Airlines ATR 72 crashed while landing at Pokhara, killing all 68 passengers and four crew members onboard. Investigators later found that the pilot had accidentally feathered the engines – adjusting the propeller blades in a way that eliminated thrust – moments before the crash.
