USAF MC-12 and National Cargo 747-400F crash in Afghanistan

A US Air Force MC-12 Liberty, carrying a crew of two pilots, and two crypto analysts crashed in Zabul Province, Afghanistan April 27th, killing all four on board. The aircraft is based on the Beech King Air 350, and carries cameras, and signals intelligence gear on board.

The Air Force rushed an order for 50 of the aircraft to increase their intelligence gathering capabilities in Afghanistan. This is the first crash for the type in military service.



Source

Earlier today, National Air Cargo confirmed that a 747-400 freighter, with a crew of 8 on board crashed on take off from Bagram Air Field. Early reports say everyone on board was killed in the crash, but National has not confirmed the status of the crew.

The aircraft was operating on behalf of the Air Mobility Command, carrying a cargo of five military vehicles to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates at the time of the crash. It was reported by witnesses that as the aircraft passed through approximately 1200 feet, the nose suddenly pitched up, and the aircraft appeared to stall, and crash off the end of the runway, where it exploded into flames. It's way too early to speculate on what may have happened to cause the nose to pitch up, if it did (early witnesses are notoriously unreliable).

This is the aircraft involved in the crash:



Source

Second Source

reply to post by Zaphod58


A 747-400 series....I never thought......
I can see it in my mind...a jetliner as big as a mountain....

Did the cargo shift to the rear?

reply to post by GBP/JPY


That's what the second source has speculated, but there are several reasons why the nose could have pitched up like that, from the trim tabs being in the full nose up position, to a flight control failure causing the elevators to go to full nose up.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Man I have a buddy in the Air Force who is an MC-12 pilot. I really want to know the names of the deceased---hope he's okay...

EDIT:

4/29/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Department of Defense announced April 28 the deaths of four airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died April 27, near Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in the crash of an MC-12 aircraft.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, however initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash.

Additional info on crash

I'm glad to know it wasn't my old friend, but I'm still very sad for the family/friends. I lost four guys I flew with last year in a helicopter crash. Kills me every time I hear about something like this.

What's US still doing in Afghanistan?

I thought Obama promised to pull out of Afghanistan since like a whole term ago, already.

reply to post by iamhobo


Ask and ye shall receive.

* Capt. Brandon L. Cyr, 28, of Woodbridge, Va. He was assigned to the 906th Air Refueling Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

* Capt. Reid K. Nishizuka, 30, of Kailua, Hawaii. He was assigned to the 427th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.

* Staff Sgt. Richard A. Dickson, 24, of Rancho Cordova, Calif. He was assigned to the 306th Intelligence Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.

* Staff Sgt. Daniel N. Fannin, 30, of Morehead, Ky. He was assigned to the 552nd Operations Support Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.

www.marinecorpstimes.com...

reply to post by Zaphod58

That's what the second source has speculated, but there are several reasons why the nose could have pitched up like that, from the trim tabs being in the full nose up position, to a flight control failure causing the elevators to go to full nose up.

American plane crashes in Afghanistan...


hmmm... (louder) hmmm

From your "second source":

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

The aircraft was carrying 5 military vehicles.

Imagine a vehicle breaking loose on climb out and domino-ing to the rear of the craft...

More likely it was taken down by the Taliban but of course, national pride is at stake here.

How dare those goatherders played around with our big and very expensive plane.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Ah thanks! Seems you posted it as soon as I edited.

reply to post by mypan


There were no reports of ground fire at the time. Planes crash. It happens, and it happens a lot on take off and landing, as those are the most technically challenging times of flight. Either the cargo shifted, because the loadmaster didn't secure it properly, or there was a flight control problem.

reply to post by Zaphod58


So you do not think it had to do with the contents?

Sorry to hear about this, I feel for the families and friends.

reply to post by antar


The cargo MAY have shifted during climb out, but being as this just happened this morning, it's way too early to speculate. Especially as there are a number of other conditions that could cause the same thing to happen. Add to that, the fact that initial eyewitnesses aren't the most reliable, as they're usually in a state of shock (even military people), and many times aren't really that aware of how aircraft operate, so they frequently are mistaken.

Give it a couple days, and we'll see what they have to say.

reply to post by Zaphod58

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the crash, but their involvement was denied by Nato.


The Taliban was quick to claim responsibility, telling the Pakistan-based Afghan Islam Press they shot down the plane.

BBC


There are 7 killed now.

reply to post by mypan


Not surprised they claimed responsibility. Per witnesses (which I know I said weren't the most reliable, but until the NTSB releases anything they're all we have to go on), the nose pitched up, the aircraft rolled left, then right, then slammed into the ground.

According to weather reports, a thunderstorm was moving into the area, and the winds began shifting from 100 degrees, to 350 degrees starting at 0955 UTC, until 1055 UTC. The crash occurred at 1030 UTC. The flight departed from runway 03 (030 degrees), so it had a pretty significant cross wind component. It doesn't seem that they were too strong, so I don't think they will have played any part in this.

The aircraft first flew 01/29/1993, making it just over 20 years old. For a freighter that's not ridiculously old, but it's getting up there. The average age of cargo aircraft going back to 1999 was 31 years old. Currently you have fleets anywhere from 8 years, to their mid 20s in the average age.

National Air Cargo has confirmed that 7 people were on board, and at least some of the crew was from Michigan. The company is based in Ypsilani. They have not released any names of those on board yet, pending notification of families.

Possibly just an ordinary mission fail, however it does give one pause
to know that there may be reasons to take a few people out,
considering the news....www.nation.com.pk... sidents-office-nyt

The aircraft was carrying four pilots, two mechanics, and a loadmaster. Supposedly the crew reported a stall, possibly due to the load shifting just before the crash. The NTSB is on the scene, and should release a preliminary report within 10 days.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I was just curious did not mean to derail the technical side of the discussion. I am always personally insulted when our AF pilots are shot down. From all the ones I met and my own Brother, they are cream of the crop.

reply to post by Zaphod58


So it was at this point as you suspected.

I won't post it out of respect, but the crash was caught on video. At one point the aircraft rolled inverted, and started falling. The crew got the aircraft back upright, and the nose down, which is the proper response to a stall, but just ran out of sky.