What happened
On 11 February 2014, an Algerian Air Force C-130 Hercules, registration 7T-WHM, crashed into the Djebel Fertas mountain near Aïn Kercha, Algeria. The aircraft was transporting 74 passengers, including soldiers and their families, along with 4 crew members. Contact with the aircraft was lost near the area between Constantine and Oum El Bouaghi shortly before midday.
The aircraft was performing a descent toward Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport when it struck the mountainous terrain. The impact resulted in 77 fatalities and 1 survivor, a soldier who was treated for head trauma at a military hospital in Constantine.
Investigation
Following the disappearance, air traffic controllers initiated a search using helicopters. Recovery teams eventually located the wreckage and recovered 76 bodies from the crash site. Investigators also successfully retrieved one of the two onboard flight recorders.
Findings
Initial assessments by the Algerian defence ministry and aviation experts indicated that severe weather conditions were the primary factor in the accident. At the time of the crash, the region was experiencing a low-pressure system characterized by heavy snowfall, rain, and wind gusts exceeding 30 mph, which significantly degraded visibility.