Region
Asia

Crash of a Boeing 727-86 near Tehran: 128 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1980 at 1911 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 727-100
Operator:
Registration:
EP-IRD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mashhad - Tehran
MSN:
19817/537
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
IR291
Location:
Tehran
Tehran City District
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
120
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
128
Circumstances:
On the day of the accident, Iranian air traffic controllers went on strike, which led to hundreds of domestic flights being cancelled. At 1600LT the strike was interrupted and flights resumed. At 1740LT, the airplane departed Mashad Airport on schedule service IR291 to Tehran-Mehrabad Airport with 120 passengers and a crew of eight on board. At 1852LT, ATC based at Tehran-Mehrabad Airport cleared the crew for a direct approach to runway 29. At 1905LT, the dispatcher instructed the crew to take a 360° heading to reach the non-directional beacon of Varamin. On approach, the copilot informed the captain that the VORTAC was giving a wrong radial course but the captain failed to respond to this message. At 1911LT, while descending in limited visibility due to night, snow falls and foggy conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Alborz Mountain Range. The wreckage was found few hours later in a snow covered terrain about 29 km north of Tehran Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and none of the 128 occupants survived the crash.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain, favored by an inoperable instrument landing system (ILS) of runway 29, when the ground radar was inoperative. The accident occurred just three hours after the Iranian air traffic controllers had resumed work after a strike period till 1600LT. The lack of visibility due to night and poor weather conditions remains a contributing factor.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-12A Huron near Natanz: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-12 Huron
Operator:
Registration:
73-1211
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
BD-7
YOM:
1973
Location:
Natanz
Isfahan
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Natanz. Two passengers were rescued while five other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules at Doshan Tappeh AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
5-8532
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
4457
YOM:
1972
Location:
Doshan Tappeh AFB (Tehran)
Tehran City District
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Doshan Tappeh AFB after taking part to a humanitarian mission following a recent earthquake. On final approach, the pilot decided to make a go-around when an engine failed. The airplane lost height and crashed. Four occupants were seriously injured while nine others were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on final approach for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Fairchild-Hiller FH-227D in Abadan

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1978
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild-Hiller FH-227
Operator:
Registration:
EP-AMJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
523
YOM:
1966
Location:
Abadan
Khuzestan
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Landed hard and came to rest at Abadan Airport. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Manidar: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
C-FSAW
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
4644
YOM:
1942
Location:
Manidar
Razavi Khorasan
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a geo-survey mission, searching for uranium. While cruising in a valley, the crew encountered limited visibility with low clouds when, facing a mountain, the pilot-in-command made a 180 turn. The aircraft struck the mountain and crashed. The airplane was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Shiraz: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
5-8536
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tehran - Shiraz
MSN:
4463
YOM:
1972
Location:
Shiraz
Fars
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
On approach to Shiraz in bad weather conditions, the airplane struck a mountain and crashed. All nine occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing 707-373C near Tehran: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
HL7412
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
London - Tehran - Seoul
MSN:
19715/642
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
KE642
Location:
Tehran-Mehrabad
Tehran City District
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 29 at Tehran-Mehrabad Airport, while climbing in limited visibility, the four engine airplane drifted to the right instead of making a left turn as mentioned in the Standard Instrument Procedures for OIII Airport Runway 29. At an altitude of 6,500 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (2,020 metres high) located 17 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all five occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew failed to follow the published procedures for a standard departure from runway 29.

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 20E in Kermanshah: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Dassault Falcon 20
Operator:
Air Taxi Company (Iran)
Registration:
EP-AGX
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tehran - Kermanshah
MSN:
283
YOM:
1973
Location:
Kermanshah
Kermanshah
Country:
Iran
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On approach to Kermanshah Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Apparently to establish a visual contact with the ground, the crew decided to reduce his altitude when the airplane struck a hill located 3 km short of runway threshold. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames 300 meters further. Two crew members were killed while a third occupant was injured.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to continue the approach in foggy conditions without any visual contact with the ground. At the time of the accident, Kermanshah Airport was not equipped with a control tower.
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