Investigators (click here) sifting through the wreckage of a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane that crashed in Afghanistan on April 29 have found that several of the straps used to tie down the 16-ton MRAP fighting vehicles broke after takeoff...
Guess what the cargo was? The military must be giving this stuff away. They cost plenty to build, about $700,00 each.
They are waste of military spending. The cargo was coming out of Afghanistan and being sent to Dubai.
????? Like what????? These were not deployed to protect American and/or Afghan forces? What happens here, the C-10 brings them in and then Karzai sells them to the highest bidder?
By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Apr 29th 2013 14:02Z,
last updated Tuesday, Jun 4th 2013 15:01ZA
National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 freighter on behalf of US Mobility Command, registration N949CA performing cargo flight N8-102 from Bagram (Afghanistan) to Dubai Al Maktoum (United Arab Emirates) with 7 crew and cargo consisting of 5 military vehicles, has crashed shortly after takeoff from Bagram Air Base's runway 03 at 15:30L (11:00Z) and erupted into flames near the end of the runway within the perimeter of the Air Base. All 7 crew are reported perished in the crash....
...On Jun 2nd 2013 accident investigators by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Afghanistan reported in a press conference that quickly shifting cargo, consisting of three armored vehicles and two mine sweepers totalling at 80 tons of weight, caused the accident. The cargo slammed so hard at the back of the aircraft, that parts of the aircraft separated and wiring in the back was severed. As result of the shift and loss of aircraft parts the center of gravity moved so far back, that the attitude of the aircraft could no longer be controlled, the nose of the aircraft rose beyond the flying envelope of the aircraft and the aircraft stalled destroying the aircraft and killing all crew in the resulting impact. Parts of the aircraft, that separated as result of the initial load shift, were recovered from the runway. The straps used to tie down the cargo were recovered from the accident site, although charred they provided evidence of having fractured before final impact, it was unclear however, whether the fracture(s) had happened before or after takeoff.
The FAA had released a Safety Alert for Operators on May 20th 2013 regarding securing heavy vehicles in aircraft.
Cargo transporters needed guidance? They weren't qualified? The vehicles made it into Afghanistan just fine. This aircraft is not designed to carry these vehicles.
