Blackwater 61 crash

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/blackwater-61-crash

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the aircraft registration?N960BW
2. What is the NTSB finding?Pilots behaved unprofessionally and flew a nonstandard route for recreation
3. What happened in the Blackwater 61 crash?A Blackwater USA airplane called Blackwater 61 crashed in Afghanistan on November 27, 2004. The plane was flying low over a mountain valley and hit the highest peak. All six people on board were lost.
4. Why did the plane crash?The pilots were flying the plane low for fun instead of following the safe route. This risky flying in a high mountain area caused the crash. The investigation said the pilots were not following safety rules.

Turboprop Aircraft: An aircraft powered by a jet engine that drives a propeller, offering a balance of speed and fuel efficiency.
Private Military Contractor (PMC): A private company that provides military or security services, often in support of government operations in conflict zones.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB): An independent U.S. government agency responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents and making safety recommendations.