BOEING 747-400 BCF

Bagram — April 29, 2013

Event Information

DateApril 29, 2013
Event TypeACC
NTSB NumberDCA13MA081
Event ID20130429X12734
LocationBagram
CountryAF
Coordinates34.94639, 69.26500
AirportBagram Air Base
Highest InjuryFATL

Aircraft

MakeBOEING
Model747-400 BCF
CategoryAIR
FAR Part121
Aircraft DamageDEST

Conditions

Light ConditionDAYL
WeatherVMC

Injuries

Fatal7
Serious0
Minor0
None0
Total Injured7

Event Location

Probable Cause

National Airlines' inadequate procedures for restraining special cargo loads, which resulted in the loadmaster's improper restraint of the cargo, which moved aft and damaged hydraulic systems Nos. 1 and 2 and horizontal stabilizer drive mechanism components, rendering the airplane uncontrollable. Contributing to the accident was the Federal Aviation Administration's inadequate oversight of National Airlines' handling of special cargo loads.

Full Narrative

The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-15/01.

On April 29, 2013, about 1527 local time, a Boeing 747-400 BCF, N949CA, operated by National Air Cargo, Inc., dba National Airlines, crashed shortly after takeoff from Bagram Air Base, Bagram, Afghanistan. All seven crewmembers—the captain, first officer, loadmaster, augmented captain and first officer, and two mechanics—died, and the airplane was destroyed from impact forces and postcrash fire. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 supplemental cargo flight was destined for Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

About This NTSB Record

This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

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