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A 747 U.S. cargo plane crashed on its ascent from Bagram, Afghanistan Monday, killing all 7 American crew members aboard. The exact cause of the crash is not known, but thunderstorms were in the area.
The plane, in route to Dubai (United Arab Emirates), was carrying 5 military vehicles according to the Aviation Herald.
The Aviation Herald describes the sequence of events leading up to the crash:
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.
METARS – weather reports intended primarily for aviation purposes – show thunderstorms and swirling winds coincided with the takeoff. From Aviation-Safety.net:
A thunderstorm with Cumulonimbus clouds was approaching the air base at the time of the accident. A weather report shows winds began shifting from 100 degrees [from the east] at 09:55 UTC to 350 degrees [from the north] at 10:55 UTC. Accident time was about 15:00 LT / 10:30 UTC
“One army spokesperson said the crash occurred due to low altitude after takeoff,” reports Business Insider, which quoted a pilot who said a cargo shift may have contributed. Whether it was the weather, loose cargo, and/or other factors that prevented the plane from gaining altitude will presumably be determined in crash assessments.
Weather may have played role in horrifying Bagram Airfield Crash
The plane, in route to Dubai (United Arab Emirates), was carrying 5 military vehicles according to the Aviation Herald.
The Aviation Herald describes the sequence of events leading up to the crash:
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.
METARS – weather reports intended primarily for aviation purposes – show thunderstorms and swirling winds coincided with the takeoff. From Aviation-Safety.net:
A thunderstorm with Cumulonimbus clouds was approaching the air base at the time of the accident. A weather report shows winds began shifting from 100 degrees [from the east] at 09:55 UTC to 350 degrees [from the north] at 10:55 UTC. Accident time was about 15:00 LT / 10:30 UTC
“One army spokesperson said the crash occurred due to low altitude after takeoff,” reports Business Insider, which quoted a pilot who said a cargo shift may have contributed. Whether it was the weather, loose cargo, and/or other factors that prevented the plane from gaining altitude will presumably be determined in crash assessments.
Weather may have played role in horrifying Bagram Airfield Crash
