Accidents
Inadequate Cargo Restraint Brought Down 747 at Bagram
At least one armored vehicle on board shifted rearward as the airplane took off, crippling key systems
A National Airlines Boeing 747 cargo hauler taxis at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY-SA) by Alec@B92)
A National Airlines Boeing 747 cargo hauler taxis at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY-SA) by Alec@B92)

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has concluded that improper restraint of five large military vehicles inside a National Airlines Boeing 747 freighter led to the April 29, 2013 crash that claimed the lives of all seven crewmembers on takeoff from Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan. According to an NTSB report issued Tuesday, at least one of the vehicles moved rearward during takeoff, crippling key hydraulic systems and damaging horizontal stabilizer components, rendering the airplane uncontrollable.