Free Flight, Free Speech

A US-Bangla de Havilland Dash 8-400, registration S2-AGU performing flight BS-211 from Dhaka (Bangladesh) to Kathmandu (Nepal) with 67 passengers and 4 crew, was on final approach to Kathmandu's runway 02 cleared to land, when the aircraft turned left, tower radioed "Do not turn towards runway 20, turn right" and repeated "cleared to land runway 02". The crew requested to land on runway 20, tower cleared the aircraft to land on runway 20. When tower queried the aircraft whether they had the runway in sight, the crew responded "negative". Tower queried whether they had runway 02 in sight, crew affirmed, tower cleared the flight again to land on runway 02. The aircraft collided with the ground and burst into flames at about 14:25L (0835Z), tower stopped all traffic in and out of Kathmandu and sent arriving aircraft into holds reporting an aircraft accident. 39 people perished in the accident, 31 people were rescued alive.

Rescue services took 39 occupants to hospitals, however, eight of them were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. 31 bodies were recovered from the wreckage.

The Ministry of Tourism reported 39 people died in the accident, 31 were rescued alive.

Ground observers reported the aircraft turned suddenly left, overflew two aircraft, came very close to the control tower and went out of sight. A large plume of smoke began to rise seconds later.

The airport reported the aircraft veered right off the runway and slid for about 300 meters until coming to a rest on a soccer field and burst into flames.