Pilot's mistake caused Nepal plane crash which killed 'exceptional' Essex ballet dancer

The plane crash in Nepal which killed 72 people including a talented British ballet dancer was caused by a pilot accidentally pulling the wrong levers, an inquest has heard.

Ruan Crighton, 34, from Brentwood in Essex, was on-board the twin-engine propeller Yeti Airlines plane that crashed near the newly opened Pokhara airport in the Himalayan foothills in January 2023.

It plummeted into a gorge about a mile from the runway, with all of the 68 passengers and four crew members on-board killed.

On Wednesday, an inquest into Mr Crighton's death at London North Coroner's Court in Barnet heard that one of pilots mistakenly changed the propeller angle instead of that of the wing flaps on the ATR-72 plane.

Witnesses saw the plane "banking sharply" before "sinking rapidly" towards the ground.

Mr Crighton enrolled at the Central School of Dance in Brentwood at just 10 years old and went on to tour Europe as a professional ballet dancer.

After retiring from ballet, he decided to train to become a physiotherapist.

He had been living in Nepal with his French girlfriend while completing a placement at a spinal injury clinic in Kathmandu, the inquest was told.

The day after his birthday, the “adored” dancer was taking a “well-earned trip into the mountains” when the tragedy occurred.

In a pen portrait read to the inquest, Mr Crighton’s family said he would be “missed beyond words”.

“We are all beyond heartbroken by this terrible tragedy", the tribute said.

“We are so proud of what he achieved.

“He was witty, charming, quick and so generous. He was adored by all who met him.

“We couldn’t wait to see him and learn all about his latest adventures.”

The Yeti Airlines aircraft had been operating shuttle flights and was on its third trip of the day when the tragedy occurred, the inquest heard.

The pilots “sustained a loss of control” and eyewitnesses at Pokhara International Airport noticed it was flying at a low altitude before it fell from the sky.

Mr Crighton suffered fatal blunt force injuries during the crash, North London area coroner Tony Murphy said.

Concluding the inquest, Mr Murphy said the dancer had died “as a consequence of an aircraft accident”.

“He was an exceptional person and is much missed by his family and friends,” he added.

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