Ghazni | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The four engine aircraft was dispatched at Sardeh Band Airstrip to exfiltrate US Army Special Forces troops. After takeoff, the aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed about 4 km from the airfield. Seven people were injured while three others were killed.

Probable cause:

The Accident Investigation Board President found by clear and convincing evidence that the cause of the flight mishap was the excessive cargo weight loaded on the mishap aircraft at the Band E Sardeh Dam landing zone. In particular, the weight was substantially more than the crew had planned for, and, as such, the previously planned, and later executed, takeoff speed was insufficient to support a successful takeoff and sustained flight departure by the aircraft. The Board President also found that a substantially contributing factor to the mishap was the current method of cargo weight planning utilized by the deployed ground forces, and accepted by the aircrews, that relies upon the personal estimations of personnel in the field as to the weight of cargo to be loaded on aircraft in a combat environment.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Shashgow Ghazni: 19 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1983

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Operator:

Registration:

YA-GAZ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tarinkot - Kabul

MSN:

395

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After departure from Tarinkot (Urozgan) Airport bound for Kabul, weather conditions deteriorated. The crew decided to climb to an altitude of 18,500 feet under VFR mode. While flying in poor weather conditions, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed on the slope of a mountain located in Shashgow Ghazni. All 19 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control after the crew continued under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions. It was also determined that the crew suffered physical impairment due to a lack of oxygen while flying at high altitude.

Crash of a Douglas C-54A-15-DC Skymaster near Ghazni: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1963 at 1445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

OD-AEB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Beirut – Kuwait City – Kabul

MSN:

10424

YOM:

1944

Location:

Ghazni

Country:

Afghanistan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9957

Captain / Total hours on type:

3193.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2842

Copilot / Total hours on type:

743

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on a non-scheduled international cargo flight from Beirut, Lebanon to Kabul, Afghanistan via Kuwait, carrying a crew of three. The trip to Kuwait was uneventful, and it arrived there at 0036 hours GMT on 12 December. Departure from Kuwait for Kabul was at 0256 hours and the flight reported passing Kandahar at 0838 and Kalat at 0900 flying at flight level 110. While en route the aircraft was provided with the Kandahar and Kabul weather. At 0942 hours it reported passing Ghazni at 0940, flying at flight level 150 and estimated its arrival time at Kabul as 10 10 hours. However, at 0958 (i. e. 12 minutes before ETA) it reported overhead Kabul and requested the latest weather situation which was provided. As the aircraft could not land at Kabul because of the weather conditions it reported at 0959 hours that it was diverting to Lahore. Shortly thereafter it reported it was proceeding to Zahedan via Ghazni (ETA 1025), Kandahar (ETA 1130) Zahedan (ETA 13 15). It would maintain flight level 150 to Ghazni, 130 to Kandahar and 110 to Zahedan. At 1003 hours the Kabul tower passed the Kandahar weather to the flight and 5 minutes later the flight reported it was 25 miles out from Kabul, at flight level 150. The aircraft was then cleared by Kabul tower to route frequency and nothing further was heard from it. The wreckage of the aircraft was first sighted on 16 August 1964, after the snow had melted, at an elevation of 13 940 ft amsl in the Koh-i-Safid Mountains 50 NM west of Ghazni and 42 NM from the approved air route. The coordinates of the accident site were estimated to be 33° 37' N 67° 35' E. The time of the accident was some time after 1015 hours GMT on 12 December 1963. The wreckage was found by Afghan soldiers on 16 August 1964.

Probable cause:

A wrong estimation of the wind speed and direction resulted in a navigation error which brought the aircraft 42 NM from the approved air route. Possible contributing factor s were: lack of weather forecast prior to take-off, personal worries, fatigue and lack of oxygen, inadequate charts and maps.

Final Report: