On 24 July 2024, a Bombardier CRJ200LR operated by Saurya Airlines, as a repositioning flight, crashed shortly after take-off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, killing 18 out of 19 people on board.

[2][3] The aircraft was being ferried to Pokhara with mainly airline technical staff for a base maintenance check.

[6] In the months leading up to the accident, the aircraft underwent several maintenance events, including a survey inspection on March 13, 2024, for the renewal of its Certificate of Airworthiness, with the main landing gear's Time Between Overhauls (TBO) due on April 17, 2024.

On July 24, 2024, the aircraft underwent a Return to Service check before being cleared for the ferry flight to Pokhara.

[5] The plane was carrying two crew and according to some sources, 16 technicians employed to conduct routine maintenance on the aircraft.

The first officer, 26-year-old Sushant Katuwal, had a commercial pilot licence (CPL) and he had 1,824 flight hours in total, 1,602 of which on the CRJ-200.

[3] According to the load and trim sheet provided by the company, the take-off weight was calculated as 18,132 kilograms.

The presence of high profile government officials was widely criticized by the public due to concerns about interference with rescue operations, security and logistical challenges, and the perception of political exploitation.

The government also declared that the national flag would be flown at half-mast the following day in honor of the crash victims.

[12] The captain was rescued "within five minutes of the crash," and received head and facial injuries, and fractured bones in his back.