2014 Algerian Air Force C-130 crash

{{Infobox aircraft occurrence

| name = 2014 Algeria C-130 crash

| image = Lockheed C-130H-30 Algerian AF 7T-WHB - MSN 5224 (5895161952).jpg

| image_upright = 1.1

| alt =

| caption = An Algerian Air Force C-130 similar to the aircraft involved in the crash

| occurrence_type = Accident

| date = {{Start date|2014|02|11|df=y}}

| summary = Controlled flight into terrain in bad weather

| site = Near Aïn Kercha, Oum El Bouaghi Province, Algeria

| coordinates = {{Coord|36.0118|N|6.6862|E|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:DZ|display=inline,title}}

| aircraft_type = Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules

| aircraft_name =

| operator = Algerian Air Force

| callsign =

| tail_number = 7T-WHM

| origin = Tamanrasset, Algeria

| stopover = Ouargla, Algeria

| destination = Constantine, Algeria

| occupants = 78

| passengers = 74

| crew = 4

| fatalities = 77

| injuries = 1

| survivors = 1

}}

On 11 February 2014, a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft of the Algerian Air Force, carrying 74 passengers and 4 crew members, crashed into Djebel Fertas mountain near Aïn Kercha, Algeria. Only one person survived.{{cite web|title=ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules 7T-WHM Aïn Kercha|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20140211-0|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|accessdate=11 February 2014}}

Preliminary reports suggest that bad weather conditions might have caused the crash.{{cite news|title=TV: Over 100 feared dead as military plane crashes in Algeria (update)|url=http://en.trend.az/regions/met/arabicr/2240748.html|accessdate=11 February 2014|publisher=Trend News Agency|date=11 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223051953/http://en.trend.az/regions/met/arabicr/2240748.html|archive-date=23 February 2014|url-status=dead}} The accident is under investigation.{{update inline|date=January 2024}}

Weather conditions

Algerian defence ministry said the crash was likely caused by bad weather,{{cite web | url =http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-algeria-crash-idUKBREA1A0YF20140211| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160306154411/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-algeria-crash-idUKBREA1A0YF20140211| url-status =dead| archive-date =6 March 2016| title =Algerian military plane crashes into mountain, 77 killed |publisher =Reuters|date=11 February 2014|accessdate =11 February 2014}} including a storm and cascading snow, which Algerian aviation experts said most likely had led to poor visibility.{{cite web | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/world/africa/algerian-military-plane-crash.html| title =Military Plane Crash in Algeria Leaves Scores Dead |work=The New York Times |date=11 February 2014|accessdate =11 February 2014}}

According to AccuWeather, at the time of the crash "an area of low pressure moving through the region was producing widespread showers mixed with snow in the higher terrain of the area"; meteorologist Eric Leister added that, "along with the rain and snow, wind gusts more than {{convert|30|mph|abbr=on}} were reported in several locations in the region".{{cite web | url =https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/world/africa/algerian-military-plane-crash.html| title =Dozens Said to Die in Algerian Military Plane Crash |work=The New York Times| date=11 February 2014|accessdate =11 February 2014}}

Accident

Contact with the aircraft was reportedly lost between Constantine and Oum El Bouaghi just before noon and air traffic controllers dispatched helicopters to search for it.[http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2014/02/13/news/national/783978.txt "Plane crash kills 77 but 1 man survives"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140213203519/http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2014/02/13/news/national/783978.txt |date=13 February 2014 }}. www.rep-am.com. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014. The sole survivor, a soldier, was taken to a military hospital in Constantine due to injuries from head trauma.{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/201421251651801612.html|title=Algeria mourns plane crash victims|website=www.aljazeera.com|accessdate=12 April 2018}} The passengers included soldiers and members of their families.{{cite news|title=Algerian army plane crashes – dozens dead, one survivor|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26138101|accessdate=11 February 2014|publisher=BBC News|date=11 February 2014}}

Aircraft

The aircraft was a US-manufactured C-130 Hercules with the registration number 7T-WHM. Lockheed Martin confirmed it sold C-130H aircraft to Algeria from 1981 to 1990. {{as of|2011}}, Algeria had 16 of the type according to FlightGlobal.[https://www.foxnews.com/world/77-dead-1-survivor-in-algeria-plane-crash-official-says/ "77 dead, 1 survivor in Algeria plane crash, official says"] . FoxNews.com. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.

Investigation

{{Expand section|Expand section with text from the French article|date=January 2025}}

Recovery teams located one of the two flight recorders, according to El Watan. Emergency services recovered 76 bodies from the site.

Reaction

Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced three days of state mourning starting 12 February, while also praising the dead soldiers as "martyrs". The defence ministry said it had established an investigative commission and that army chief of staff and deputy defence minister Ahmed Gaid Salah would visit the crash site.