The Hercules was participating in a night exfiltration mission to remove U.S. Army Special Forces troops from the area when it tried to take off from an improved airstrip at Sardeh Band. The plane impacted the ground and crashed in a barren area, 2.5 nautical miles from the airstrip. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The Accident Investigation Board President found by clear and convincing evidence that the cause of the flight mishap was the excessive cargo weight loaded on the mishap aircraft at the Band E Sardeh Dam landing zone. In particular, the weight was substantially more than the crew had planned for, and, as such, the previously planned, and later executed, takeoff speed was insufficient to support a successful takeoff and sustained flight departure by the aircraft. The Board President also found that a substantially contributing factor to the mishap was the current method of cargo weight planning utilized by the deployed ground forces, and accepted by the aircrews, that relies upon the personal estimations of personnel in the field as to the weight of cargo to be loaded on aircraft in a combat environment.”