A report released concerning Nepal’s deadliest plane crash in 30 years, claiming 72 lives, indicates a probable cause linked to “pilots accidentally cutting off the power.”

The crash, involving a Yeti Airlines passenger plane operating the Kathmandu-Pokhara flight, occurred on January 15, marking the country’s worst aviation accident in three decades. The official investigation, conducted by a government-appointed commission of 5 members, hasn’t definitively determined the cause. However, the report highlights potential complications arising from the inadvertent power interruption by pilots as the leading factor.

Factors contributing to the accident, as outlined in the report, encompassed inadequate technical knowledge, insufficient skill-based training, high stress and workload, and deviation from standard operating procedures. Despite this, the investigation affirmed the aircraft’s proper maintenance, absence of known issues, and the crew’s adherence to Nepal Civil Aviation Rules and Regulations.