N949CABOEING 747-400 BCF2013-04-29 NTSB Accident Report

Destroyed
Fatal

BOEING 747-400 BCFS/N: 25630

Summary

On April 29, 2013, a Boeing 747-400 BCF (N949CA) was involved in an accident near Bagram, AF. The accident resulted in 7 fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: 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.

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.

This accident is documented in NTSB report DCA13MA081. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N949CA.

Accident Details

Date
Monday, April 29, 2013
NTSB Number
DCA13MA081
Location
Bagram, Afghanistan
Event ID
20130429X12734
Coordinates
34.946388, 69.264999
Nearest Airport
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
Highest Injury
Fatal
Fatalities
7
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
7

Probable Cause and Findings

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.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
BOEING
Serial Number
25630
Engine Type
Turbo-jet
Model / ICAO
747-400 BCFB744
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Multi Engine
No. of Engines
4

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE
Address
260 N CHARLES LINDBERGH DR
MAC U1240-026
Status
Deregistered
City
SALT LAKE CITY
State / Zip Code
UT 84116
Country
United States

Analysis

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.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DCA13MA081