No Fatalities Reported After Serious Accident

Taban Air shut down operations on Sunday after a flight veered off the runway during landing, catching fire and shearing off both wings.  All 157 passengers aboard the TU-154M survived.

The aircraft had arrived from Isfahan (OIFM) and was in a holding pattern waiting for visibility to improve at Mashhad International Airport (OIMM).  The crew declared an emergency and initiated an ILS approach when a passenger on the flight reportedly became seriously ill.

During landing the plane veered off runway 31R, possibly due to a tail strike.  The nose gear then collapsed, causing a wing to strike the ground.  Images from the accident site show the wings sheared off and the tail separated with the rear fuselage and all three engines badly burned.

Iran's Ministry of Health reported 42 people onboard the flight were admitted to hospitals.  The plane carried 157 passengers and 13 crew members.

A reported translation of the Iranian Civil Aviation Authority website indicated an almost immediate cause given for the incident.  The site stated that an anomaly in engine 3 led to hydraulic and APU failure during landing.

Iran is under strict trade sanctions that prevent the import of any new aircraft, parts, or maintenance equipment from the US or its allies.  Iran has had at least seven fatal airline crashes since 2005, one of the worst civil aviation records in the world.

FMI: www.tabanair.ir