27 fatalities

Aircraft Crashes Near Tehran-Mehrabad Airport After Fuel Exhaustion (EP-ACJ)

Tehran, IranLanding (descent or approach)

On December 25, 1952, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration EP-ACJ) operated by Iran Air was involved in an aviation accident near Tehran, Iran during landing or approach. 27 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by a fuel exhaustion. The lack of visibility due to foggy conditions was considered as a contributory factor, as well as the fact that the crew miscalculated the necessary fuel quantity to possibly fly to an alternate airport. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

While descending to Tehran-Mehrabad Airport in heavy fog, a crew was instructed to divert but reported insufficient fuel. Shortly after, the aircraft crashed in a field 7 km from the airport. Rescuers evacuated two seriously injured passengers; all 27 other occupants were killed. Probable cause: fuel exhaustion, with fog and miscalculated alternate fuel as contributory factors.

Accident Details

An aircraft descending to Tehran-Mehrabad Airport encountered limited visibility due to heavy fog. Air traffic control instructed the crew to divert to Isfahan Airport. The pilot-in-command abandoned the approach and adjusted the route, informing ATC that the fuel reserves were insufficient for the diversion distance.

Minutes later, the crew reported being short of fuel and elected to perform an emergency landing. The aircraft subsequently crashed in a field approximately 7 kilometers from Mehrabad Airport.

Rescue and Casualties

Rescuers arrived at the crash site two hours later. They were able to evacuate two passengers who sustained serious injuries. All other 27 occupants on board were killed.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined that the accident was caused by fuel exhaustion. Contributory factors included the lack of visibility due to foggy conditions and the crew's miscalculation of the necessary fuel quantity to reach an alternate airport.