Wrong speed, unsafe cargo and lax safety caused Saurya crash

Incorrect takeoff speeds, flammable cargo, systemic flaws led to the CRJ-200 accident in Kathmandu last year.

The pilots of a Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft operated by Saurya Airlines that crashed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu in July last year, killing 18 of the 19 people onboard, used incorrect takeoff speeds—known as V-speeds—as they relied on a faulty speedcard, according to the final investigation report released Friday.