Identify Which Cargo Problem You Have
Being unable to move a crate can describe several different situations: a trapped crane, unfamiliar controls, or a malfunction during an otherwise normal lift. Those symptoms do not all have the same documented explanation. For Airport Contraband unable to move crates, the clearest developer-confirmed case is the crane getting stuck inside the plane; an October 14 update describes changes to its physics, movement limits, and collisions to address that problem.
There is also a later control change to consider. October 29's Hotfix #2 adjusted crane bindings for both keyboard and controller, so an old video can show inputs that no longer match your interface.
The Documented Crane-Inside-the-Plane Problem
In the developer's October 14 cargo update, the crane could move too far from its intended position. The force pulling it back could then throw it around, while collisions with the plane could leave it trapped.
The developer's response was to tighten the physics, limit the crane's movement, and disable collisions between the crane and aircraft. Those were changes to the game itself. The announcement does not document a player-operated reset button or a special maneuver for freeing every crane already stuck in an old session.
If your symptom matches that case, check the installed build and relevant update history rather than treating an older recording of the problem as proof that every current crate is affected.
Check Your Current Crane Inputs
Hotfix #2's official notes confirm adjustments to keyboard and controller crane bindings. They do not provide a complete key map in the collected text, so use the controls displayed by your installed crane interface.
The Prologue recording shows a crane-computer activation step before the player can handle cargo. It also shows a separate loading step for departures: move the crate to the aircraft loading area, leave crane mode, and pull the lever. A crate waiting for that lever action is different from a crane physically wedged inside the plane.
Separate Malfunctions From a Stuck Crane
The developer's cargo overview describes reversed controls and excessive clamp pressure as equipment malfunctions. Recorded player experience shows a tutorial warning to release a crate quickly when the clamp starts crushing it.
That provides a supported response to the clamp warning, but it does not establish a remedy for an unrelated frozen interface, missing cargo, or an unresponsive input device. If the problem continues outside the documented cases, use the in-game bug-reporting tool mentioned in Hotfix #2 and describe what the crane, crate, and interface are doing. Include the build and input device so the report distinguishes a movement problem from a binding mismatch.
FAQ
Was the crane getting stuck inside the aircraft a known issue?
Yes. The developer documented that physics and collision problem on October 14 and described changes intended to stop it.
Should I copy the keys from an old Prologue video?
Check the current prompts first. October 29's patch changed crane bindings on keyboard and controller.
Is there one confirmed fix for every immovable crate?
The collected material supports specific crane physics fixes and binding changes. It does not establish a universal workaround for every cargo failure.