Nepalese crash pilot may have panicked

Yesterday, two Air Accident Investigation Branch officials from the UK arrived in Kathmandu to aid Nepalese authorities in investigating the incident involving the plane, which was bound for Everest. Other factors suggested are overloading and damage to the tail fin of the twin-propeller plane following a suspected bird strike. Rameshwore Thapa, president of Airline Operators of Nepal, said: "Preliminary findings show the aircraft was first bird-hit and that may have triggered the break-off of the tail fin."

However, Suresh Acharya, an official in the Aviation Ministry, said: "The preliminary finding of the Civil Aviation Authority notices unusual manoeuvring during the take-off and the pilot communicated to air traffic control the aircraft was hit by a bird. "But a plane crash does not occur simply because its engine was hit by a bird. "The pilot may have been panic-stricken and made a steep, narrow turn instead of forming a wider radius required to bring the malfunctioning aircraft back to the runway."

Mr Acharya said the pilot should have gained more altitude before trying to return to the airport. The official report is not expected for three months. Police said the victims were at the cockpit end of the wreckage, indicating they had either failed to fasten their belts or took them off before hitting the ground.

Police spokesman Binod Singh said: "We have taken out the data recorder and handed it over to the civil aviation authorities. "The rescue work at the site has ended." The Foreign and Commonwealth Office had no comment on when the bodies of the seven British nationals would be repatriated.

The plane's right engine burst into flames, leading it to plummet and explode. The Dornier crashed on the bank of the Manohara river in clear weather. Mr Kelly, 45, lived in the Isle of Whithorn.

He died in the crash along with his brother, Vincent, 50, from Bolton.

Darren was the vice-chairman of Newton Stewart Sub- Aqua Club and moved to the area from Manchester several years ago.

The other Britons were identified as Stephen Holding, 60, from Barlaston in Staffordshire; Raymond Eagle, 58, from Macclesfield in Cheshire; Timothy Oakes, 57, from Winwick, Cheshire; Christopher Davey, 51; and Benjamin Ogden, 27, who lived in London.