Chance or mistake of Azerbaijan's air defense: who shot down the Turkish C-130 over Georgia?: EADaily

Chance or Mistake of Azerbaijan's Air Defense: Who Shot Down the Turkish C-130 Over Georgia?

Turkish experts do not exclude the possibility that Azerbaijan's air defense operated automatically, causing the crash of the Turkish C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft near the Georgia border. This was discussed by columnist Lyubov Stepushova in Pravda.Ru.

Flight Details and Victims

The aircraft was returning from Baku and carried 20 servicemen, including special forces and technical personnel. They had participated in a military parade in Azerbaijan's capital on November 8. All on board, including the crew, perished in the crash. Investigations are underway by authorities in Georgia and Turkey.

Maintenance and Investigation

The last comprehensive maintenance of the aircraft occurred in 2020.
Three main causes are being examined: technical failure, human error, and external interference.

Crash Video Analysis

Published footage of the incident shows the plane falling in pieces, missing both its head and tail sections.

Likely Causes According to A Haber

Two main theories are highlighted by A Haber:

A hole could have formed in the fuselage due to corrosion, rust, or oxidation.
Improperly secured cargo may have shifted during turbulence, damaging the aircraft structure.

"Fatigue of the structural material is not excluded," said former C-130 pilot Bulent Boraly in an interview with A Haber TV channel. He noted the aircraft model dates back to the 1950s.

Author's summary: The crash of the Turkish C-130 in Georgia is under investigation, with experts weighing technical faults, cargo issues, or automatic air defense as possible causes.

EADaily — 2025-11-12