Crash of a Tupolev TU-154M near Khorramabad: 119 killed
Date & Time:
Feb 12, 2002 at 0755 LT
Operator:
Registration:
EP-MBS
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tehran - Khorramabad
MSN:
91A871
YOM:
1991
Flight number:
IRB956
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
107
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
119
Aircraft flight hours:
12701
Aircraft flight cycles:
5516
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Tehran, the crew started the descent to Khorramabad Airport runway 11 in bad weather conditions. In poor visibility, the crew failed to realize he was off course when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located few km northeast from the city of Sarab-e Dowreh, about 25 km northwest from the runway 11 threshold. The wreckage was found few hours later on a snow covered rock wall. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 119 occupants were killed, among them four Spanish citizens.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew failed to follow the approach procedures and the company SOP's. This caused the aircraft to deviate from the approach path by 3 nm to the north when it struck the mountain that was shrouded in clouds. The lack of visibility due to poor weather conditions was a contributing factor.
