4 fatalities

Training Flight Ends in Crash After Belly Landing and Subsequent Takeoff (EP-IRU)

Rasht, IranLanding (descent or approach)

On June 9, 1996, a Boeing 727-200 (registration EP-IRU) operated by Iran Air was involved in an aviation accident near Rasht, Iran during landing or approach. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: - The crew failed to follow the approach checklist - The crew forgot to lower the landing gear - Poor crew coordination - Lack of crew resources management - Wrong decision on part of the crew to take off following a belly landing - Following the belly… This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 15 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards
Boeing 727-200
Photo: Pete Macklin / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

During a training flight, the crew forgot to lower the landing gear, performed a belly landing on runway 09, then took off. The aircraft caught fire and crashed 5 km short of the runway, killing four and injuring three.

Incident

On a training flight from Tehran-Mehrabad Airport to Rasht, the crew departed at 1233 LT. After successfully completing 14 touch-and-go maneuvers, they returned to the airport but forgot to lower the landing gear. The aircraft landed on its belly and slid on runway 09 for 30 seconds over a distance of 2,100 meters.

Despite the belly landing, the crew decided to take off again. As the aircraft climbed, the rear fuselage caught fire. The crew declared an emergency, manually extended the landing gear, and was cleared to land on runway 09. However, during the final approach, the aircraft became unstable, lost height, and crashed in a field 5 km short of the runway. The crash resulted in four crew members killed and three injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable Cause

The official investigation identified several findings contributing to the accident: the crew failed to follow the approach checklist, forgot to lower the landing gear, exhibited poor coordination and lack of crew resource management, made a wrong decision to take off after the belly landing, and operated an aircraft that was not fit to fly following the belly landing and subsequent fire.

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Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 9 Jun 1996 Boeing 727-200 accident near Rasht, Iran?

During a training flight, the crew forgot to lower the landing gear, performed a belly landing on runway 09, then took off. The aircraft caught fire and crashed 5 km short of the runway, killing four and injuring three.

Were there any fatalities in the 9 Jun 1996 Boeing 727-200 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 4 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 9 Jun 1996 involved a Boeing 727-200, registration EP-IRU, operated by Iran Air, at Rasht, Iran.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

- The crew failed to follow the approach checklist - The crew forgot to lower the landing gear - Poor crew coordination - Lack of crew resources management - Wrong decision on part of the crew to take off following a belly landing - Following the belly landing, the aircraft suffered a fire and was not fit to fly