Warning: some may find this footage disturbing.
This article says,
“The Boeing 747-400 — owned by National Airlines, a Florida-based subsidiary of National Air Cargo — was en route to Dubai, carrying vehicles and other cargo.”
The Taliban claimed responsibility, but the US has denied that claim.
One reader wrote this comment:
“The centre of gravity was off due to improper loading methods, cargo shifted to the back causing high pitch angle which eventually led to a stall. Pilot did everything he could of done.”
Pilot did everything (s)he could of done after (s)he failed to preflight the load.
Well, I’d imagine that the loadmaster would also have had a role in this, if the shifting load was the problem. But, as is often the case, it takes a team to bring down a plane.
Why is it that every time something happens Taliban claim its responsibility?
Why is it every time a foreign fighters’ plane goes down, the US denies the Taliban had anything to do it? Doesn’t speak well of US aircraft upkeep or pilot competence.
Because they don’t, and you just made that up.
I would guess that the CG(center of gravity) was way too far to the back. If it was caused by a shifting load it must have been quite a large payload. Another possibility could be that the elevator malfunctioned, causing an uncontrolled climb. If he had more airspeed he could have used the rudder to bring the nose around, but he wasn’t going fast enough and did not have enough altitude. I can tell they were really fighting the airplane there.
Tell it like it is for once. This is a classic stall and spin. Somebody fucked up, bottom line!
There is a local connection to the tragedy.
annarbor.com reports one of the fatalities was Ypsilanti, Michigan resident Michael Sheets.
National Air Cargo operates out of Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti.
One or more of the vehicles contained within wasn’t secured properly and slid backwards in the plane, causing the center of gravity to shift and forcing the plane into a stall.
Very sad news for the loss of life but it does look like the crew is struggling with it for control in the last few seconds so it has to be C of G error for what ever reasons.
To me this looks like one of the vehicles in the cargo hold had gotten loose of it’s strapping and rolled to the back of the hold whilst the plane was pitched up for take off. This then changed the planes centre of gravity forcing the plane into an extreme nose up attitude, stalling the plane which then went into a classic wing over (one wing stalls before the other) and subsequent nose down attitude. As the speed of the plane increased as it fell from the sky, the pilot was able to regain some of the control. However it was too late because he lacked sufficient altitude to pull out of the dive.
One would think that by now (after Boston Marathon), speculation (shifting load) is just that: speculation. Do any commenters here have evidence? I thought not. More armchair ‘detectives’.
@White, were not armchair detectives. We’re just trying to present the most logical explanation to a tragedy. True it could’ve been a malfunction with the elevators or their hydraulic subsystems. Everyone on here is making an informed decision… That’s all we can do. By the way, I’m a pilot and not just your average layman. Think before you comment.
Read James Fallows at theatlantic.com. He is a pilot.
Maybe just too much opium.
Its interesting that CNN, covering this later than other sources (I first saw it on reddit), is unsure of the authenticity of the evidence: link to i.imgur.com
I wonder if CNN has a new policy for covering things sourced through social media.
How dare any of you amateurs deride the pilots who fought and un-winable situation all the way to the ground!
How DARE you!