How did the heartbreaking plane crash happen? Here are the possibilities...

A C-130 military cargo plane belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) crashed in Georgian airspace while on its return route from Azerbaijan to Turkey. The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) announced that all 20 personnel on board were martyred.

It was determined that the aircraft was manufactured by Lockheed in 1968 at the Marietta facility in the US state of Georgia, and was purchased by Turkey as a second-hand aircraft in 2010 after serving for many years in the Saudi Arabian Air Force.

It was stated that despite having been modernized, its 57-year age brings the possibility of structural failure in the accident to the agenda.

CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED

While the investigation into the accident continues, experts have put multiple possibilities on the table:

Structural fatigue and technical failure: Depending on the age of the aircraft, a critical failure may have occurred in the fuselage or engines. In the footage, it was observed that the rear fuselage broke off and smoke was coming from the engines.

External interference: Some sources stated that the fact that the plane disintegrated while in the air brings to mind the possibility of external interference. According to radar records, it was reported that an H125 helicopter was in the region at that time.

Ammunition explosion or sabotage: The possibility of an internal explosion due to ammunition on board or a system failure is being evaluated. Security experts stated that this possibility is low.

Mid-air collision or accident: The possibility of a collision with another aircraft during the flight is also being investigated.

Pilot error or weather conditions: The possibility of a pilot error due to seasonal weather conditions, sudden loss of altitude, or poor visibility is being evaluated.

Retired US Air Force expert Jarrod Phillips stated that based on the footage, the crew may have dumped fuel for an emergency landing and the tail section separated during the flight.

The C-130 aircraft took off from Ganja Airport in Azerbaijan on November 11. After takeoff, the plane turned northeast and then turned west, entering Georgian airspace. It disappeared from radar shortly after establishing contact with air traffic control towers in Turkey.

In the footage shared on social media, it was seen that the plane crashed while spiraling, emitted white smoke, the rear fuselage broke off and was scattered to a separate point, and the main fuselage disintegrated in the air before hitting the ground.

The crashed plane left wreckage approximately 5 kilometers away from the Sighnaghi municipality of Georgia. Search and rescue teams reached the entire wreckage. The engines and fuselage are largely burned, and the parts are spread over a wide area. All the wreckage will be brought to Turkey for a detailed examination.

NAMES OF OUR MARTYRS

The names of our soldiers who were martyred in the accident were announced as follows:

Air Pilot Major Serdar Uslu

Air Pilot Major Nihat İlgen

Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Gökhan Korkmaz

Air Aircraft Maintenance First Lieutenant Emre Mercan

Air Pilot First Lieutenant Cüneyt Kandemir

Air Aircraft Maintenance Staff Sergeant Berkay Karaca

Air Maintenance Staff Sergeant Emre Altıok

Air Aircraft Maintenance Staff Sergeant İlhan Ongan

Air Staff Sergeant Burak İbbiği

Air Aircraft Maintenance Senior Master Sergeant Nuri Özcan

Air Aircraft Maintenance Master Sergeant Hamdi Armağan Kaplan

Air Aircraft Maintenance Master Sergeant Emrah Kuran

Air Aircraft Maintenance Master Sergeant İlker Aykut

Air Supply Senior Sergeant Ahmet Yasir Kuyucu

Air Transport Specialist Sergeant Emre Sayın

Air Senior Master Sergeant Ümit İnce

Air Master Sergeant Ramazan Yağız

Air Specialist Sergeant Cem Dolapçı

Air Master Sergeant Akın Karakuş

Air Master Sergeant Burak Özcan