the strip mohammed crashed on was a difficult strip to land on as it ran up a hill and was only about a thousand yards in length according to an investigation the plane was hit by a strong cross wind as it approached the landing strip and the plane stalled when the american former fighter pilot jim harrington tried to pull out of the landing by ascending at full power jim knew the strip was dangerous he was told by mohammed's first pilot gerald auerbach that he should refuse to land on the strip and that he should ask for a safer strip to be built in the area jim refused to listen saying oh i can do it i can do it obviously in the circumstances encountered he could not