What happened
On July 24, 2009, an Ilyushin Il-62M, registration UP-I6208, was performing flight IRX1525 from Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport to Mashhad International Airport. The aircraft, operated by DETA Airline as an ACMI lease for Aria Airline, was carrying 169 passengers and a crew of 11 at the time of the accident.
During the landing phase on runway 13L, the aircraft failed to decelerate sufficiently after touchdown. The aircraft continued down the runway, eventually exiting the paved surface and traveling approximately 185 meters beyond the end of the runway area. During the excursion, the aircraft crossed a dirt road, destroyed approach lights, and struck a power line with its right wing, causing fuel leakage. The aircraft finally collided with a perimeter wall at a distance of 820 meters from the departure threshold, destroying 70 meters of the fence. Debris from the cockpit and cabin was scattered behind the wall.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene to evacuate passengers and extinguish fires outside the airframe. The accident resulted in 16 fatalities, consisting of 11 crew members and five passengers. Additionally, 30 people sustained injuries during the event.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical failures regarding flight operations and crew performance. A primary factor was that the approach speed exceeded the recommended limits for the aircraft's weight and the specific airport charts. The investigation concluded that the lack of effective cockpit management prevented the crew from utilizing necessary deceleration techniques, such as the correct use of engine thrust reversers and spoilers.
Other contributing factors included:
- Failure to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) regarding checklists during the descent, approach, and landing phases.
- Inadequate coordination between the pilot in command, the co-pilot, and the flight engineer.
- Lack of attention to EGPWS warnings and failure to take corrective action.
- Poor English language proficiency among the crew members, hindering communication.
- The presence of the airline's General Director in the cockpit, which created an adverse psychological impact on crew efficiency.
- Disagreement among the crew regarding a potential go-around during unsuitable landing conditions.
- Insufficient training regarding local flight conditions and Iranian aeronautical information.