The NTSB on Tuesday opened its public online accident docket for its investigation of the fatal crash of a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft in Afghanistan in April 2013. The docket contains factual information including documents and photographs. The accident investigation is still underway, and analysis of the data, along with the determination of the probable cause, will come at a later date. The airplane crashed shortly after takeoff on its way from Bagram to Dubai, and all seven crew members, who were all from the U.S., were killed. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and fire. The Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority led the investigation until last October, when the NTSB took over.
The factual report describes in detail the cargo that was loaded onto the airplane, and the loading procedures. Five large military vehicles were loaded on the main deck, including three Cougars, weighing 18 tons each, and two all-terrain vehicles weighing 12 tons each. Each vehicle was secured to a pallet. Investigators looked closely at the kind of straps that were used and other details of the cargo restraint system. The cockpit voice recorder transcript shows the crew discussing a broken strap in the cargo hold, and whether the straps were tight enough. The load manifest for the flight showed that weight restrictions and center of gravity limits had not been exceeded.
