Air Taxi Company (Iran) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

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.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-60-DL in Shiraz

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1971

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Air Taxi Company (Iran)

Registration:

EP-ADG

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

10237

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Suffered an accident in Shiraz. Occupant's fate and circumstances remain unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-20-DK in Ahwaz

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Air Taxi Company (Iran)

Registration:

EP-AGZ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

15423/26868

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After a takeoff roll of 450 meters, the pilot-in-command started the rotation. At liftoff, the airplane banked left, causing the left wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane cartwheeled and crashed in flames. All 25 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew failed to follow pre take-off check-list and that the aircraft was not configured for departure.

Crash of an Aero Commander 500 near Ardestan: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1961 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Aero Commander 500

Operator:

Air Taxi Company (Iran)

Registration:

EP-ABA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Shiraz – Marvdasht – Tehran

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2866

Captain / Total hours on type:

503.00

Circumstances:

On 16 April the aircraft departed Mehrabad Airport at 0228Z on a charter flight to Yazd and Bandar Abbas. On the same day the first stage of the return flight was made to Shiraz where an overnight stop was made. Next day EP-ABA left Shiraz at 0245Z to pick up four passengers at Marvdasht. At 0525Z it departed Marvdasht on a direct flight to Mehrabad Airport, Tehran, ETA 0800Z. A last contact was made with Esfahan at 0630Z reporting its position as 20 miles east of Esfahan - VFR, flight level 150, ETA Mehrabad 0800Z. This was the last message received from the aircraft. On 19 April word was received at Mehrabad Airport that the aircraft had crashed on the mountain 40 km south of Ardestan and 18 km west of Zafarkand Village. The pilot and four passengers were killed in the accident and the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The pilot was unexpectedly confronted with severe carburetor icing conditions. A loss of engine power resulting from this impelled him to descend through the cloud layer when possibly the icing conditions became considerably worse, thus rendering a quick melting of the carburetor ice problematic. His already serious situation was intensified due to breaking cloud over mountainous terrain under conditions of bad visibility. In an effort to avoid the mountain barriers confronting him, he endeavored to fly through a narrow gorge and a visible gap at the top. He, however, to a still greatly diminished power from the persistent effects of carburetor icing, together with the most imposing turbulence and downdraught effects that he would undoubtedly encounter in the crest area, his attempt failed. Unfortunately, the protruding rock formation which he first hit presented a further great obstruction at the most critical point of his passage.

Final Report: