Surkhet Airport (IATA: SKH, ICAO: VNSK), also known as Birendranagar Airport, is a domestic airport located in Birendranagar serving Surkhet District, a district in Karnali Province in Nepal. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal considers it an important hub for cargo transport into remote Western areas of Nepal,[3] however this role is declining due to increasing road connectivity.[4] Buddha Air has started daily flights to and from Kathmandu since 22 December, 2022 using its ATR-72 aircraft.[5][6]
The airport resides at an elevation of 2,400 feet (732 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt runway which is 1,255 metres (4,117 ft) in length.[3] There are plans to extend the runway.[8]
17 July 2002 - A Skyline AirwaysDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 (9N-AGF) left Jumla on a flight to Surkhet. Some 18 minutes after take-off and 10 km north of Surkhet, at an altitude of about 6500 feet, the aircraft crashed into trees on the Gargare Danda hill in bad weather. All two crew and two passengers were killed.[12][13]
On 26 May 2010 a Tara AirDHC-6 Twin Otter had taken off from Surkhet Airport heading for Talcha Airport in Rara National Park, with 18 passengers and 3 crew on board. At 10 am, the aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Surkhet after its cabin door suddenly opened five minutes after take-off. Tara Airlines officials said that the cabin attendant managed to lock the door immediately after it opened.[14]
