Four-Engine Aircraft Crash Near Koh-e Khak-e Shahidan (4L-ZIL)

Incident Overview and Flight Details A four-engine aircraft was offloaded at Kabul Airport after arriving from Bahrain. The aircraft then departed for a short flight to Bagram Air Force Base, carrying telecommunication equipment for the US Armed Forces. Shortly after takeoff, the crew changed frequency and contacted Bagram Airbase. Due to traffic at Bagram, the crew was instructed to hold at 10,000 feet approximately 10 nautical miles south of Bagram AFB. The crew subsequently began descent in haze conditions. The aircraft struck the slope of a mountain near Koh-e Khak-e Shahidan, located about 28.6 kilometers northwest of Kabul. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, and all eight occupants were killed. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 2,120 meters. At the time of the accident, visibility was estimated at 5 kilometers with haze, and clouds were at 1,200 feet.