Shocking video shows the fiery crash Monday of a civilian cargo plane at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan, just north of the Afghanistan capital of Kabul.
A civilian cargo aircraft crashed at Bagram Air Field near the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday, killing all seven people aboard. The plane came down shortly after take-off and crashed within the boundaries of the US-run airbase, a NATO spokesperson at the base said.
The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the crash, but the coalition dismissed the claim as "false" in a statement to AP. The cause of the crash is being investigated by emergency crews, but no sign of insurgent activity in the area was spotted at the time, the statement added.
One army spokesperson said the crash occurred due to low altitude after takeoff. The plane, run by Florida-based National Airlines, a subsidiary of National Air Cargo, was reportedly carrying vehicles and other cargo and was bound for Dubai.
The crash is thought to be as a result of a shifting load in the cargo plane which may have caused the plane to stall.
National Airlines President Glen Joerger went on to offer the following: “This is a devastating loss for our family and we’ll work diligently with authorities to find the cause. Most importantly, our thoughts and prayers are with our crew members and their families."
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead a team to assist the Afghanistan Ministry of Transportation and Commercial Aviation in the investigation of a cargo plane crash at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator Tim LeBaron will be the U.S. accredited representative. He will lead a team of three additional investigators from the NTSB as well as representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration and The Boeing Company.
The private cargo plane, a Boeing 747-400 operated by National Air Cargo, crashed just after takeoff from the U.S.-operated air base at 11:20 a.m. local time Monday. All seven crewmembers onboard were killed and the airplane destroyed. The seven crew members were all American citizens. The accident site is within the perimeter of Bagram Air Base.
The international cargo flight was destined for Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Afghanistan Ministry of Transportation and Commercial Aviation is leading the investigation and will be the sole source of information regarding the investigation.
(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)
