Detached Wings From Doomed Turkish C-130 Seen Spiraling Into The Ground
A Turkish Air Force C-130E Hercules cargo plane crashed dramatically in Georgia while returning from Azerbaijan. The aircraft, carrying 20 people, broke apart midair with the center fuselage and wings seen spiraling downward in videos.
Flight Details and Timeline
The C-130E had taken off from Ganja International Airport in Azerbaijan about 30 minutes before the crash. It used the callsign TUAF543 and was monitored via Flightradar24.
- Departure: After takeoff, the plane flew northeast, passing the Mingechevir Reservoir.
- Flight Path Change: It turned northwest, then west, crossing into Georgia around 10:37 UTC.
- Altitude: The aircraft continued climbing to its cruising altitude of 24,000 feet by 10:41 UTC.
- Crash Time: The crash occurred shortly after 2:49 PM local time (10:49 PM UTC).
Crash Observations
Videos circulating online clearly show the aircraft breaking apart in midair. The central fuselage with attached wings is seen spiraling downward, along with other large pieces falling toward the ground.
“After departure, it turned and positioned itself on a northeasterly track, passing the Mingechevir Reservoir beneath. While passing 15,000 feet, it again turned onto a northwesterly heading before turning west, passing the Georgian border around 10:37 UTC. It was in a continuous ascent until reaching its cruising altitude of 24,000 feet at 10:41 UTC.” — Flightradar24
The tragedy marks a significant loss for the Turkish Air Force during a routine return flight.
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