Boeing 747-400 BCF accident near Bagram, Af, April 29, 2013
On April 29, 2013 at about 10:57 am local time, a Boeing 747-400 BCF, registered N949CA, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Bagram (Bagram Air Base airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 7 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2013 · about 10:57 am local time
- Place
- Bagram, Afghanistan · Bagram Air Base · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747-400 BCF · all 747-400 BCFs on the register
- Registration
- N949CA · registry record · serial 25630
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft loading event during prior to flight
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Flight control sys malf/fail during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Operator
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Other
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › FAA/Regulator
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Other
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Stabilizer control system › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 439 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 22, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 209 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 451 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76,938 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 29, 2013
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric (Ge) Snecma CF6-80C2B1F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric (Ge) Snecma CF6-80C2B1F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: General Electric (Ge) Snecma CF6-80C2B1F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: General Electric (Ge) Snecma CF6-80C2B1F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: National Air Cargo
The flight
- Departed from: OAIX Bagram at 3:27 pm
- Destination: OMDW Dubai
- Runway 03, 11,819 ft by 151 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 3:25 pm from OAIX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 7 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.