The UK Ministry of Defence has ruled out most of the possible causes of the Royal Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130K crash in Iraq, leaving shootdown as virtually the only remaining possibility, but an interim statement does not mention that possibility.
With the loss of all 10 personnel on board, the 30 January crash about 35km (22 miles) north of Baghdad represents the worst single-event loss of UK servicemen's lives in the Iraq conflict so far. The aircraft was on a routine flight from Baghdad to the US base at Balad when it was lost. The MoD's interim statement includes a nearly exhaustive list dismissing possible causes, including birdstrike, lightning strike, mid-air collision, controlled flight into terrain, wire or obstacle strike, jammed flying controls, cargo explosion, engine fire, sabotage and structural fatigue.
Shootdown is not mentioned on the statement. "There remain a number of other possible causes that require further investigation," says defence secretary Geoff Hoon.
Source: Flight International
