Crash of a Tupolev TU-154M near Tehran: 131 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1993 at 1416 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EP-ITD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tehran - Mashhad
MSN:
91A903
YOM:
1991
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
119
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
131
Circumstances:
The aircraft just departed runway 29R at Tehran-Mehrabad Airport and and continued to climb when it collided with an Iranian Air Force Su-24MK fighter that was preparing to land on runway 29L. Both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed on a military depot located 15 km from the airport. All 131 occupants of the TU-154 and both pilots on board the fighter were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the collision was the consequence of a poor coordination between civil and military ATC.

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 400M in Saveh: 39 killed

Date & Time: Apr 26, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5-8815
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bandar-e Mahshahr – Tehran
MSN:
10499
YOM:
1974
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
39
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Bandar-e Mahshahr to Tehran, carrying 35 passengers and 4 crew members on behalf of the National Petrochemical Company. While cruising in very bad weather conditions, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near Saveh. All 39 occupants were killed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-76TD in Bakhtaran: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LZ-INK
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cologne - Bakhtaran
MSN:
00934 94835
YOM:
1989
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
1099
Aircraft flight cycles:
353
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Cologne-Bonn Airport on a humanitarian flight to Bakhtaran, Iran, carrying various goods for Kurdish refugees on behalf of the Swiss company Mexair. On approach to Bakhtaran airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, a second attempt to land and then a third attempt were also abandoned. During the fourth approach, the captain informed ATC that he was shot of fuel and elected to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed in an open field located 11 km from the airport. Four crew members were killed while six others were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the flight time between Cologne and Bakhtaran was five hours and 10 minutes. Following a poor flight planning, the fuel quantity prior to departure from Cologne was insufficient in case of a diversion or possible go-around maneuver. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minimums.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Iran: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 1, 1990
Operator:
Registration:
EP-IOD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
MSN:
460
YOM:
1975
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in a mountainous area located in the south part of Iran.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 near Zabol: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1989 at 1320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YA-BAK
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Kabul - Zaranj
MSN:
57314104
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Kabul to Zaranj, an Iranian security officer entered the cockpit and instructed the crew to divert to Zabol, Iran. On approach, the captain was shot down and the copilot, panicked, attempted an emergency landing in a hilly terrain located few km from Zabol. Five passengers were killed in the accident.
Probable cause:
Crashed in unclear circumstances after being hijacked.

Crash of an Airbus A300B-2-203 off Qeshm Island: 290 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1988 at 1024 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EP-IBU
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bandar Abbas – Dubai
MSN:
186
YOM:
1982
Flight number:
IR655
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
274
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
290
Captain / Total flying hours:
7000
Captain / Total hours on type:
2057.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
220
Copilot / Total hours on type:
708
Aircraft flight hours:
11497
Circumstances:
Flight IR451 arrived at Bandar Abbas (BND) from Tehran (THR) at 08:40. The Airbus A300 was to continue to Dubai (DXB) as flight IR655. Prior to departure the crew received an enroute clearance to Dubai via the flight planned route A59 and A59W at FL140. The flight took off from runway 21 at 10:17 hours and climbed straight ahead. Two minutes later, the crew reported leaving 3500 feet for FL140 on Airway A59, estimating MOBET at 06:53 UTC (10:23 Iran time). At 10:24:00 the aircraft passed MOBET out of FL120. At 10:24:43 two Airbus was hit by surface-to-air missiles. The tail and one wing broke off as a result of the explosions. Control was lost and the aircraft crashed into the sea. The missiles were fired by the US Navy cruiser USS Vincennes. It was operating in the area together with the frigates USS Elmer Montgomery and USS John H. Sides. They were to protect other ships in the area. At about the time the Airbus took off, the radar aboard the USS Vincennes picked up a brief IFF mode 2 response, which led to the mistaken identification of the Airbus as a hostile F-14 aircraft. The USS Vincennes issued 7 challenges on the Military Air Distress (MAD) frequency 243 MHz, addressed to 'Iranian aircraft', 'Iranian fighter' or 'Iranian F-14'. These messages were followed by three challenges on the IAD (International Air Defence) radio frequency. Due to increasing tension in the area - on May 17, 1987 an Iraqi Mirage had attacked USS Stark - all aircraft in the area had to monitor 121.5 Mhz: the International Air Defence - IAD radio frequency. There was no response. Meanwhile radar operators were monitoring the Aegis screens. They reported that the incoming plane was descending with an increasing speed. In fact, the Airbus was climbing. Considering itself and USS Montgomery under aggression, USS Vincennes took the ultimate decision to launch missiles against the perceived hostile target at 10:24:22.
It remains uncertain whether the IR655 flight crew (only able to monitor the IAD, not the MAD frequencies) would have been able to rapidly identify their flight as the subject of the challenges made by the USS Vincennes.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was perceived as a military aircraft with hostile intentions and was destroyed by two surface-to-air missiles.
Final Report:

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 20 at Omidiyeh AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1987
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Omidiyeh AFB - Omidiyeh AFB
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Omidiyeh AFB. On approach, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed few hundred meters short of runway threshold, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired by Iranian soldiers performing an exercise at Omidiyeh AFB.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-16K-11 in Shalamcheh: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1987
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5018
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While cruising over Iran at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the heavy bomber was shot down by a 'Hawk' missile, dove into the ground and crashed near Shalamcheh. A crew member survived while five others were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an Iranian missile.