National Air Cargo 744 down at Bagram

knucklehead6 · 29-04-2013 4:38pm #1

http://avherald.com/h?article=46183bb4&opt=0

A National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 on behalf of US Mobility Command, registration N949CA performing a cargo flight from Bagram (Afghanistan) to an unknown destination, has crashed shortly after takeoff from Bagram Air Base's runway 03 at 15:30L (11:00Z) and erupted into flames near the end of the runway with the perimeter of the Air Base. All 8 crew are reported perished in the crash.

Afghan Authorities immediately denied claims that the crash of a large civilian cargo aircraft was the result of enemy activities. A large fire erupted after the aircraft impacted ground, it appears all crew have been killed.

Coalition Forces reported a civilian large cargo planed crashed shortly after takeoff, at the time of the accident there was no enemy activity around the aerodrome. Rescue and Recovery efforts are under way, the Air Base is currently locked down and the aerodrome is closed.

National Air Cargo confirmed one of their aircraft with 8 crew crashed at Bagram.

Several observers on the ground reported the National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 had just lifted off and was climbing through approximately 1200 feet when it's nose sharply rose, the aircraft appeared to have stalled and came down erupting in a blaze.

According to a listener on frequency the crew reported the aircraft stalled due to a possible load shift.

National Air Cargo operates three Boeing 747-400s with the registrations N952CA, N919CA and N949CA. N949CA operated into Afghanistan yesterday (Apr 28th).

Metars (of Kabul 22nm south of Bagram, no Metars for OAIX available):
OAKB 291350Z 18004KT 7000 BKN050 13/04 Q1016 NOSIG RMK BLU BLU
OAKB 291250Z 30007KT 9999 SCT040CB BKN060 15/01 Q1015 NOSIG RMK BLU BLU
OAKB 291150Z 10017G27KT 9999 VCTS SCT090CB BKN120 16/06 Q1013 NOSIG RMK BLU BLU
OAKB 291050Z 11020G30KT 9999 SCT090 OVC120 16/05 Q1012 NOSIG RMK BLU BLU
OAKB 290950Z 10020G30KT 9999 SCT080CB 17/06 Q1012 NOSIG RMK BLU+ BLU+
OAKB 290850Z 10025G42KT 9999 FEW060CB SCT070 17/05 Q1013 NOSIG RMK BLU+ BLU+
OAKB 290750Z 11020G30KT 9999 BKN060 17/06 Q1014 NOSIG RMK BLU BLU
OAKB 290650Z 10017KT 9999 FEW050 BKN060 16/05 Q1015 NOSIG RMK BLU BLU

Smoke plume rising from the crash site (Photo: Albert Ramirez):

donvito99 · 29-04-2013 4:40pm

A lad in the comments section said that his brother was a part of the crew, and that his mother had been informed of her son's death. RIP

knucklehead6 · 29-04-2013 4:48pm

donvito99 wrote: »

A lad in the comments section said that his brother was a part of the crew, and that his mother had been informed of her son's death. RIP

Saw that... really smacks home when you see something like that.

N7777G · 29-04-2013 5:48pm

This is the aircraft involved in the crash - it had been painted at Dublin in September 2010

http://flic.kr/p/8NEmDR

My thoughts are with their families, RIP.

phonypony · 29-04-2013 6:20pm

Not a single mention of this in the media in this part of the world. Given all the coverage in the past weeks of the 787 return to service with some organisations practically tracking the first flight, I find it odd.

Suasdaguna1 · 29-04-2013 6:50pm

Someone alluded to a load shift. I can tell you from first hand experience it's horrific to deal with. I was on a 737 200 freighter years ago hauling a spare engine which shifted on rotation. It took full stick forward, followed by the engineers to get the engine back in position.

God love those poor guys that perished today.

Razor44 · 29-04-2013 9:31pm

Jesus, RIP. never nice to hear. the story is being covered on the Journal.ie, thats why i popped on here to see if anyone knew anymore

cson · 29-04-2013 11:51pm

http://www.thejournal.ie/syria-russia-missile-passenger-plane-889888-Apr2013/

This was on The Journal too.

Holy **** I can only imagine what it was like trying pilot around SAMs. Commercial aircraft aren't exactly the most agile. :eek:

Tenger · 30-04-2013 7:56am

phonypony wrote: »

Not a single mention of this in the media in this part of the world. Given all the coverage in the past weeks of the 787 return to service with some organisations practically tracking the first flight, I find it odd.

Sadly it the way the media works.....anything related to Iraq and Afghanistan is seen as old news and not attention grabbing for the media hounds who want sales....

I am acquainted with a couple of guys who have done some flying in that part of the world recently.....RIP to this crew

martinsvi · 30-04-2013 11:10am

cson wrote: »

http://www.thejournal.ie/syria-russia-missile-passenger-plane-889888-Apr2013/

This was on The Journal too.

Holy **** I can only imagine what it was like trying pilot around SAMs. Commercial aircraft aren't exactly the most agile. :eek:

how on earth do you spot a SAM coming at you from a cockpit seat and how do you manage to escape it? Missiles that can reach 10km don't usually miss (x2!!!)!

seven_eleven · 30-04-2013 5:17pm

Holy christ almighty!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ9iLyZPr08

knucklehead6 · 30-04-2013 5:28pm

seven_eleven wrote: »

Holy christ almighty!

Jesus.... RIP

John_Mc · 30-04-2013 5:31pm

That is absolutely incredible. Not very often you get to see a full stall in a 747. RIP to those onboard

phonypony · 30-04-2013 5:35pm

Awful. RIP.

shedweller · 30-04-2013 5:38pm

That's going to be one of those infamous youtube videos.
RIP to those poor unfortunates.

H3llR4iser · 30-04-2013 6:01pm

shedweller wrote: »

That's going to be one of those infamous youtube videos.
RIP to those poor unfortunates.

The worst thing is that there are already people shouting "fake!". It's gonna be the bane of this century, the "fake!" crowd.

The video is actually really, really spooky. Seeing a 744 coming down like a paper airplane in what looks like a wing stall is quite horrific. RIP to the crew

andy_g · 30-04-2013 6:16pm

RIP to the crew it definatley looks like a weight shift to the aft and then followed by a tip stall.

shedweller · 30-04-2013 6:29pm

andy_g wrote: »

tip stall.

Is that where it tipped to one side then the other? Thats from the pilot trying to level the plane, right?
Apart from the obvious vertical velocity being quite high, it did look as though the pilot levelled the plane but unfortunately they ran out of altitude before they could gain any horizontal velocity. Another 1000 feet and they might have survived a very hard crash landing. I emphasise the word "might"
Apologies for my non aviation terminology.

Razor44 · 30-04-2013 6:45pm

Holy S**T, thats shocking to watch....hart goes out to them

artanevilla · 30-04-2013 7:14pm

shedweller wrote: »

Is that where it tipped to one side then the other? Thats from the pilot trying to level the plane, right?
Apart from the obvious vertical velocity being quite high, it did look as though the pilot levelled the plane but unfortunately they ran out of altitude before they could gain any horizontal velocity. Another 1000 feet and they might have survived a very hard crash landing. I emphasise the word "might"
Apologies for my non aviation terminology.

It's where the tip of the wing stalls before the rest of it. It is more dangerous to stall at the tip due to the fact that it causes the plane to go into a spin as can be seen in the vid.

Wings are actually designed with a twist so that if a stall does occur it happens at the root first rather than the tip, which is much safer.

sparrowcar · 30-04-2013 7:31pm

Shocking viewing. RIP

donvito99 · 30-04-2013 8:01pm

Christ almighty, that was terrifying to watch.

Shamrock231 · 30-04-2013 8:07pm

Sweet Baby Jesus, that video is something else... RIP to the crew.

Wise Old Elf · 30-04-2013 8:22pm

Terrifying video. RIP to those involved. Amazing/shocking seeing something that big stall and fall flat like that.

donvito99 · 30-04-2013 8:35pm

That's an amazingly unique piece of footage. We've had two crashed caught on camera this year. Technology is amazing, but it makes it all the more tragic in this instance.

knucklehead6 · 30-04-2013 8:38pm

donvito99 wrote: »

That's an amazingly unique piece of footage. We've had two crashed caught on camera this year. Technology is amazing, but it makes it all the more tragic in this instance.

what was the other one?

Shamrock231 · 30-04-2013 8:38pm

donvito99 wrote: »

That's an amazingly unique piece of footage. We've had two crashed caught on camera this year. Technology is amazing, but it makes it all the more tragic in this instance.

Remind me what was the first?

donvito99 · 30-04-2013 8:41pm

The Russian Tu-204(?) that crashed into a motorway.

knucklehead6 · 30-04-2013 8:42pm

donvito99 wrote: »

The Russian Tu-204(?) that crashed into a motorway.

oh yeah... good call

if that phrase is applicable in these cases.

Shamrock231 · 30-04-2013 8:43pm

donvito99 wrote: »

The Russian Tu-204(?) that crashed into a motorway.

Ah, of course.

Drummerboy08 · 30-04-2013 8:55pm

donvito99 wrote: »

That's an amazingly unique piece of footage. We've had two crashed caught on camera this year. Technology is amazing, but it makes it all the more tragic in this instance.

I watched it and instantly wondered what went through the minds of the crew in that last ten seconds.

Scary stuff.

National Air Cargo 744 down at Bagram

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