Taban Air MD-88 Engine Failure at Najaf Airport (EP-TBE)

Incident Overview and Immediate Response On June 6, 2019, at 05:59 UTC, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 operated by Taban Air, an Iranian airline, experienced a failure in its number 2 engine during the takeoff roll at Najaf International Airport in Iraq. The aircraft, registered as EP-TBE, was scheduled to fly from Najaf to Mashhad, Iran. The pilot in command reported an abrupt sound and a sudden rise in the engine's exhaust gas temperature (EGT), sensing a compressor surge. The crew aborted the takeoff at a speed of 88 knots, well before the V1 decision speed of 133 knots. The aircraft returned to the ramp, and all 157 passengers and 11 crew members evacuated safely. The flight was subsequently canceled. The incident was reported to the Iranian Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (CAO IRI AAIB) on June 8, 2019, after the aircraft was released from custody by the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority. The investigation was conducted in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation Organization and Iranian regulations, with the sole objective of preventing future accidents or incidents, not to apportion blame.