It was supposed to be a routine landing. Instead, it became a nail-biting test of aviation safety protocols—and human fortune. On the night of Friday, January 2, 2026, a Buddha Air passenger plane carrying 51 passengers and 4 crew members skidded off the runway at Bhadrapur Airport in eastern Nepal, coming to rest nearly 200 meters beyond the tarmac in a grassy field. Miraculously, not a single person was injured—a result many are calling nothing short of a miracle. This startling incident has reignited global concerns about the safety of flying in Nepal, a country with a long and tragic history of aviation disasters. In this deep dive, we unpack what happened, why it matters, and whether this Nepal plane crash that wasn’t could be a warning sign for future reforms.
Table of Contents
- What Happened: The Bhadrapur Incident in Detail
- Nepal Plane Crash: Why This Near-Miss Matters
- Aviation Safety in Nepal: A Troubled History
- Buddha Air Response and Investigation
- What Passengers Saw and Felt
- Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call, Not a Tragedy
- Sources
What Happened: The Bhadrapur Incident in Detail
Flight BTC601, operated by Buddha Air—one of Nepal’s most prominent domestic carriers—was en route from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport to Bhadrapur Airport in Jhapa district when it attempted to land in the evening hours. According to airport authorities, the ATR 72-500 twin-engine turboprop touched down but failed to stop within the runway’s designated length .
The aircraft overshot the 1,500-meter runway by approximately 200 meters before halting in a soft, grassy area just beyond the airstrip. The nose gear sustained visible damage, and the left propeller was bent, but the fuselage remained intact—a critical factor that likely prevented injuries .
Emergency crews arrived within minutes. All 55 people on board—51 passengers and 4 crew—were evacuated safely and transported to a nearby medical facility for precautionary checks. To everyone’s relief, no injuries were reported .
Nepal Plane Crash: Why This Near-Miss Matters
This incident is far more than a local news story. It’s a stark reminder of the unique challenges of aviation in Nepal—a landlocked nation dominated by the Himalayas, with short, mountainous runways and unpredictable weather.
While this outcome was fortunate, it underscores systemic vulnerabilities:
- Runway length limitations: Bhadrapur’s runway is under 1,600 meters, which is marginal for ATR 72 aircraft under wet or turbulent conditions.
- Weather factors: Friday night saw light rain and reduced visibility—conditions that can significantly increase landing distance.
- Emergency response readiness: The swift evacuation shows improvement, but infrastructure at smaller airports remains basic.
Had the plane veered into a ditch, a building, or a harder surface, the results could have been catastrophic. In fact, Nepal has suffered more than 70 civil aviation accidents since 1949, according to the Aviation Safety Network, making it one of the world’s most dangerous countries for flying .
Aviation Safety in Nepal: A Troubled History
Nepal’s aviation record casts a long shadow. In January 2023, a Yeti Airlines plane crashed near Pokhara, killing all 72 on board—the country’s deadliest crash in 30 years . In 2018, a US-Bangla Airlines flight crashed on landing in Kathmandu, claiming 51 lives. Even in 2010, a Buddha Air flight crashed near Kathmandu during a tourist sightseeing trip, killing all 19 onboard .
These tragedies have led the European Union to maintain a ban on all Nepali airlines from operating in EU airspace since 2013—a ban that remains in place as of 2026 . This persistent safety concern affects tourism, trade, and public confidence in domestic air travel.
Buddha Air Response and Investigation
Following the incident, Buddha Air issued a formal statement expressing relief that no one was hurt and confirming that a technical team had been dispatched to Bhadrapur to assess the damaged aircraft . The airline emphasized its commitment to safety and full cooperation with Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN).
CAAN has launched an official investigation, focusing on possible causes including pilot error, brake system performance, runway surface conditions, and weather data. Preliminary reports suggest the plane may have landed too far down the runway, leaving insufficient distance to stop—a common factor in runway overrun incidents globally .
[INTERNAL_LINK:aviation-safety-standards-worldwide] This case may prompt renewed calls for upgrading regional airports like Bhadrapur with modern safety features such as engineered materials arrestor systems (EMAS), which can safely stop overrunning planes.
What Passengers Saw and Felt
Passenger accounts, shared widely on social media, describe a moment of sheer terror followed by overwhelming relief. “We felt a hard jolt, then the plane just kept going,” said one traveler in a Facebook post. “I thought we were going over a cliff. Then it stopped in the grass… and everyone just started crying—from fear, then from joy” .
Another passenger praised the crew’s calmness: “The flight attendants didn’t panic. They told us to stay seated until the engines were off. That discipline probably saved lives.”
These firsthand testimonies highlight the human element in aviation safety—where training, composure, and clear communication can be the difference between disaster and deliverance.
Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call, Not a Tragedy
The Bhadrapur runway overshoot is a powerful reminder that in aviation, fortune often walks hand-in-hand with preparation. While this Nepal plane crash was averted, it should not be dismissed as mere luck. It’s a critical wake-up call for regulators, airlines, and airport authorities to address long-standing infrastructure and safety gaps—especially at regional airports that serve as lifelines for remote communities.
For travelers, it’s a sobering yet hopeful story: Nepal’s skies remain challenging, but with continued investment and reform, they can become safer. For now, all 55 souls on that Buddha Air flight are counting their blessings—and so should we all.
Sources
- Times of India: “Tragedy averted in Nepal: plane carrying 55 overshoots runway” (Jan 3, 2026)
- Video footage from the scene shows damage to nose gear and left propeller.
- All passengers and crew were medically cleared with no injuries reported.
- Aviation Safety Network: “Nepal – Safety Profile”
- BBC News: “Yeti Airlines crash in Nepal kills 72” (Jan 16, 2023)
- Historical accident records from Buddha Air (2010 crash).
- European Commission Air Safety List (2025 update).
- ICAO reports on common causes of runway overruns.
- Social media posts and local media interviews with passengers.