Https, July 14 -- On March 28, a Y12e aircraft of Nepal Airlines landed about 60 metres short of the runway at Nepalgunj airport and skidded before halting on the nearby grassland. The Chinese-made plane bearing registration number 9N-AKU carried five people, three crew members and two medical personnel, all of whom were evacuated safely.

Weeks after the incident, the flight captain KB Limbu was suspended for "faulty judgement" during the approach and landing phases. He erroneously landed the aircraft despite having lost power in one engine, resulting in an undershoot, according to a preliminary report by the civil aviation regulator.

Investigators, however, have cast doubt over the performance of the 17-seater Chinese plane, one senior...