Lukla the dangerous airport!!!

[demujin]

So my mother is worried about me flying into Lukla after reading something about the Lukla airport being one of the most dangerous in the world. She imagines my plane being hit with a sudden gust of wind and subsequently crashing into the mountain side, or careening int the valley.
So, how scary and or dangerous is it to land there?

[redders]

Hi
Its not scary at all,unless your sitting right behind the pilot you wont see the runway before your on it .You ll come over the hill on the other side of the valley and 30 seconds or so later you ll be down and a few seconds later turn sharply into what looks like a small supermarket car park ! theres only been one fatal crash to my knowledge and since then they ve been more careful about the fog
You ll get good views of the runway once your off the plane it looks like a gently sloping ski jump !
I wish I was getting on that plane now
Cheers Mike

[Petrus]

I think there has been one major accident with about 10 lost lives in about 40 years of operation, and a few "incidents" where the plane crashed with no loss of life. If the airstrip were much too dangerous commercial planes would not and could not use it. It is exiting to land there (done it once), very true...

[Boulia]

I have landed 5 times taken off 8 times, i don't feel i am tempting fate and it does appear to me, without any technical information to support the view, that there is a much more cautious approach to flying since the major accident a couple of years back. I certainly won't hesitate to fly/use it again when that fits my plans.

[Landfall38]

Agree with others! NOT so dangerous.... Especially now that they are extra conservative and delay/cancel flights if any concern.

Biggest problem with flying to/from Lukla is the real possibility of weather delays (leave lots of time!).

Airport was shut down for ~8 days this January due to combo of morning fog in KTM and then late morning/afternoon clouds Lukla. It was freezing in Lukla (taps frozen etc -- more typical of higher up) and we finally coughed up the dollars and joined others and helicoptered out (via Surket, several hundred metres below Lukla and the clouds).

(Exciting ride but definitely worse safety record than airplane flights to/from Lukla!)

[yakshaver]

I agree with redders, Lanfall, Petrus, Boulia. Thinking about the number of flights and the conditions, it is relatively safe in statistical probability terms.

The problem with Lukla these days is that they regulator has tightened the conditions for landing and departure, and they cancell flights leftrightandcentre as soon as there is any sign of weather change. This is since the fatal accident a couple of years ago, as Boulia and redders mention. So have days up your sleeve for both leaving KTM and leaving Lukla. That is your biggest worry.

[Truckdrvr]

As a pilot, I am very much looking forward to my flight out of Lukla. I must say that flying in or out of this airstrip should be quite a thrill, but I don't see it being overly risky. With the unique orientation of the field, high density altitude and winds that the area can produce, it will be riskier than your typical flight, but their safety record is pretty solid. It is probably safer than walking the streets of Oakland Ca. where I work everyday.

If you have the chance, you should take the opportunity to shake the hand of one of these pilots. They are highly skilled aviators and I for one am super impressed with how they get these aircraft in and out of that airstrip safely day after day.

[jetpilotsimmo]

I have booked my flights to KTM, but am quiet nervous about flying into Lukla, but I was thinking of walking there with a group from Jiri.
Is Lukla really that bad? or am I just worrying to much about it ? Have the authorities clamped down on operations there, regarding weather and airlines?

[redders]

Hi Jetsimmo
If you read the above posts and statistics you will see it is safe,just get on the plane and enjoy it !! as well as the sweetie the air hostess will offer you in the way of a meal ! try to sit on the left side going out that way you can get Pics of the Himalayan mountains in the distance
As I said before I wish I was getting that plane now,you can send me your ticket !!
Cheers Redders

[jetpilotsimmo]

Thanks for thr re assurance
I am still worried about it, even as a private pilot myself!!
I'm going to be heading there mid sept so fingers crossed for good weather !