Nepal Airlines A330 Returns to Kathmandu Due Hydraulic Leak

A Nepal Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Doha, Qatar made a precautionary return to Kathmandu after experiencing low hydraulic pressure on 28 March.

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Nepal Airlines RA239 Kathmandu-Doha Precautionary Return

Nepal Airlines flight RA239, operated by an Airbus A330-200, had departed Kathmandu under a standard instrument departure when the issue was detected.

Nepal Airlines RA239 Kathmandu-Doha

Flight crew noted a low pressure reading on the hydraulic system, and subsequently terminated the climb.

A precautionary return to Kathmandu was negotiated, and the aircraft subsequently made an uneventful landing.

Flight data shows that flight RA239 made a delayed departure out of Kathmandu, showing an actual time of departure of 00:00 local time. Scheduled departure for the service was listed as 23:00 local time.

Precautionary Return

The flight conducted an instrument departure before climbing to cruising altitude. The climb was subsequently terminated at flight level FL260 (26,000 feet) at approximately 1830 UTC.

A precautionary return was then expedited. The aircraft did not declare a formal emergency, and made the return under normal operating procedures.

Flight RA239 to Doha was conducted by an Airbus A330-200, registered 9N-ALY. This is a 5.9-year old wide-body aircraft belonging to the carrier Nepal Airlines. The aircraft has been in active service since its initial ferry from the factory in June 2018.

Nepal Airlines is the national flag carrier of Nepal, and holds the distinction of being the country’s first airline.

Headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal Airlines operates domestic flights within Nepal and offers medium-haul international services across Asia.

Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu serves as the airline’s main hub. It also maintains regional hubs at Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, and Pokhara airports. From these hubs it effectively connects various regions of Nepal.