A 747-400 cargo jet crashed this afternoon shortly after taking off from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, killing 7, the AP reported.
The jet was operated by National Air Cargo, a shipping airline based in Orlando, according to Aviation Safety Network.
The Aviation Herald reported that the Boeing 747 may have stalled at 1,200 feet due to a shifting load.
According to the AP, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the crash, but the US-led military coalition denied that the group was involved.
Twitter user Albert Ramirez tweeted a photo of the black smoke coming from the wreckage, and described the crash:
Eye witnesses said, on climb out, the aircraft pitched nose up and rolled right into a nose dive. The cross winds were around 35 knots.
— ALBERT, RAMIREZ (@RAM4REZ) April 29, 2013
Here's the photo:
National air cargo just lost a 747 cargo aircraft out here in bagram Afghanistan......no survivors. twitter.com/RAM4REZ/status…
— ALBERT, RAMIREZ (@RAM4REZ) April 29, 2013
The aircraft was owned by Wells Fargo Bank, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
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