According to initial technical evaluations, the recent crash of the Turkish military cargo aircraft, a C-130, within Georgian territory was most probably caused by an engine failure.

According to the Turkish media outlet Hurriyet, no engine malfunction was observed during takeoff. The aircraft reached an altitude of 7,333 metres before entering Georgian airspace. Subsequently, the fourth engine of the four-engine aircraft allegedly failed suddenly, impairing the pilot’s ability to control the plane and resulting in a sharp increase in altitude and speed.
During attempts to regain control, oil pressure issues in the second engine caused it to fail, damaging the fuselage.

Turkish media reports indicate that part of the aircraft’s tail was torn off, and debris from the second engine’s propeller damaged the fuselage, splitting the cockpit in half.

For context, a Turkish military plane carrying 20 servicepeople crashed near the Georgian-Azerbaijani border in the Sighnaghi municipality on November 11. The aircraft was en route from Azerbaijan to Türkiye.