Plane Crash at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan Caught on Dash Cam

A Boeing 747 operated by National Airlines crashed immediately after takeoff from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan yesterday, claiming the lives of all seven crewmembers on board, each of them a US citizen. No other passengers were on the plane, which is said to have been carrying a slew of military vehicles.

In the dash cam video taken by a passing motorist, the airplane can be seen (about five seconds in) in what appears to be a vertical position, with its nose pointing skyward. About 15 seconds in, the plane begins listing, loses altitude and plummets to the ground. The entire episode, from takeoff to impact, happens in less than 30 seconds.

The US National Transportation Safety Board and Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority are currently investigating the cause of the crash. Our thoughts go out to the families and friends of the seven casualties. The dash cam video can be seen below, but please understand that it is a frightening sight and contains some explicit language – viewer discretion is advised.