The aircraft, United Flight 169 from Venice, also struck a light pole while descending toward Newark Liberty International Airport at around 1:50pm ET, according to officials and company representatives.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash in western Iraq on Thursday followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in "friendly airspace" and that the other plane landed safely. The crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, with the seven others killed in combat.
VIDEO An Australian parachuting club has been told to improve the software it uses to manage jumps, after an accident in which a jumper's 'chute hooked on an aircraft's tailplane. The incident occurred on September 20th when 16 parachutists attempted a formation jump from a Cessna 208. According to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report on the incident, "As the first parachutist stepped out the door to assume the most forward (front float) position, their reserve parachute inadvertently deployed."
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) and the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) deemed initial findings suggesting human error as reckless and unfounded. They asserted that speculation about deliberate or inadvertent pilot actions in the crash was misguided.
The new SURF-A and Smart-X systems are designed to enhance aircraft safety during critical takeoff and landing phases, offering pilots timely warnings of potential dangers.