An Agni Air Dornier 228-200 turboprop aircraft has crashed while attempting to land at Jomson Airport in northwest Nepal.
The aircraft, registration number 9N-AIG, was operating on the Pokhara-Jomson route and had 18 passengers and three crew members on board.
The incident happened at 09:45 local time and the weather was clear, says a police spokesman from Nepal.
"The aircraft was approaching the runway when it overshot. It was trying to make a turnaround when one of the wings hit the mountain," he adds.
Fifteen people, including the pilot and co-pilot, were killed in the crash.
Six others, including two foreigners, were rescued from the crash site and are now being treated.
Jomson Airport, located in a mountainous area, is a key trekking hub in Nepal.
According to Flightglobal, Agni Air has six aircraft, three Dornier 228-200s and three Bae Jestream 41s, one of which is in storage.
The carrier was originally established as an air taxi company in 2005, receiving its first Donier 228 in 2006. It commenced regular services in 2008, linking the Nepalese cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara with other towns and cities in Nepal.
This is the second accident involving a Dornier 228 operated by Agni Air. On 24 August 2010 an Agni-operated crashed in central Nepal, killing all 14 aboard.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
