Incident Overview
On an unspecified date, the crew of Hercules aircraft ZH876 was tasked with a routine transport of troops to a Tactical Landing Zone (TLZ) in Maysān province, Iraq. Weather at the TLZ was reported as good, with visibility of 25 km, no significant cloud, and a light surface wind. The flight to the TLZ proceeded without incident.
Approach and Touchdown
At approximately 17:00 UTC, the aircraft began its approach to the TLZ, having established communications with the Tactical Air Traffic Controller (Tac ATC) and receiving landing clearance. The approach, flown by the copilot, was uneventful. At 17:10:15 UTC, as the aircraft was about to touch down, the crew experienced a loud bang and a bright flash that temporarily blinded the flight deck. The aircraft touched down virtually simultaneously. A second later, another flash and louder bang occurred, causing the aircraft to slew off the left side of the runway.
Post-Impact Actions
The captain took control of the aircraft and attempted to steer back onto the runway as vision returned. However, the crew noticed a fire on the port side, which was confirmed as a wing fire. The captain brought the aircraft to an immediate halt. The aircraft came to rest 50 meters from the runway edge, approximately 700 meters after touchdown. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and due to the difficulty of repair and the potential risk of anti-Iraqi forces obtaining information on specialist equipment, it was decided to destroy the aircraft.
Investigation Findings
Evidence from the incident site revealed that two improvised explosive device (IED) arrays had exploded near the touchdown point. The investigation board quickly ruled out aircraft systems failure and other causes, concluding that deliberate enemy action was the sole cause of the damage. The board further found that Force Protection personnel lacked understanding of TLZ sweep procedures and had not received appropriate training, resulting in inadequate sweep procedures that failed to detect the IED arrays.