Tehran City District | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The four engine aircraft departed Tehran-Mehrabad Airport on a training flight to Hamadan, carrying six crew members. At liftoff from runway 29R, the aircraft deviated to the right and crashed on an Iran Air Airbus A300B2-203 that was towed. Both aircraft exploded instantly and were totally destroyed by a post crash fire. All six crew members on board the Hercules were killed as well as three people who were on board the Airbus.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the Hercules went out of control upon takeoff following an engine failure.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2 Turbo Porter near Tehran: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1995

Type of aircraft:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

Operator:

Registration:

4-9809

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Demonstration

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tehran - Tehran

MSN:

833

YOM:

1984

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, was taking part to an airshow and completing a demonstration flight when the accident occurred in unknown circumstances. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

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

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1993 at 1416 LT

Type of aircraft:

Tupolev TU-154

Operator:

Registration:

EP-ITD

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Tehran - Mashhad

MSN:

91A903

YOM:

1991

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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.

Ground accident of a Boeing 727-86 in Tehran

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 727-100

Operator:

Registration:

EP-IRA

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

19171

YOM:

1966

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Two mechanics took over the airplane to complete a high-speed taxi check following maintenance. While taxiing, the airplane went out of control and veered off taxiway, causing the left main gear and the nose gear to collapse. The airplane came to rest on soft ground and was damaged beyond repair while both occupants escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

It was determined that both mechanics were not sufficiently qualified to perform such check at high-speed and it would be preferable to ask qualified flight crew to conduct such mission.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Kahrizak: 80 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1981 at 1900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

5-8552

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Ahwaz - Tehran

MSN:

4594

YOM:

1975

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Tehran-Mehrabad Airport, the four engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Kahrizak, about 20 km south of the airport. All 80 occupants were killed, among them high ranking officers and the Iranian Minister of Defense.

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:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Mashhad - Tehran

MSN:

19817/537

YOM:

1968

Flight number:

IR291

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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 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:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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 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:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

London - Tehran - Seoul

MSN:

19715/642

YOM:

1967

Flight number:

KE642

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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.

Ground accident of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 10B3 in Tehran: 15 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1974 at 0809 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle

Operator:

Registration:

OY-STK

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hong Kong – Bangkok – New Delhi – Tehran – Copenhagen

MSN:

266

YOM:

1970

Flight number:

NB901

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9600

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6000

Aircraft flight hours:

13773

Circumstances:

Preparing for takeoff on its flight back to Denmark, the crew completed a backtrack on runway 29L when he was instructed by ATC to expedite the procedure and to vacate due to traffic on approach. When the airplane reached the end of the runway, the crew initiated a turn to the left when the right main gear collapsed and punctured the right wing and the fuel tank. A fire ensued and the aircraft came to rest in flames. 15 passengers (7 Danish and 8 Swedish citizens) were killed while 81 other occupants escaped, some of them were seriously injured. The aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

The right main gear failed as a result of the propagation of fatigue cracks in the lower right hand candelabre of RIB 44.