945
2006-SEP-01 · Mashhad International Airport, Iran

Iran Airtour — Flight 945

An Iran Airtour Tupolev Tu-154M burst into flames during its landing roll at Mashhad International Airport, resulting in 28 fatalities. The aircraft was completing a domestic flight from Bandar Abbas when it suffered a runway excursion and fire. While the specific cause was not definitively determined by investigators, it is widely believed that a nose gear tire failure initiated the sequence of events that led to the aircraft veering off the runway and catching fire.

Aircraft
Tupolev Tu-154M
Registration
EP-MCF
Phase
Cause
Other
Souls on Board
148
Fatalities
28
Origin → Dest
Bandar Abbas Airport, Iran → Mashhad International Airport, Iran
Report

Investigation Summary

Flight 945 was a scheduled domestic service carrying 137 passengers and 11 crew members. The aircraft, registration EP-MCF, had been in service since 1988 and was leased by Iran Airtour in August 2005. During the landing at Mashhad at approximately 13:45 local time, the aircraft touched down on runway 14L. During the landing roll, the aircraft experienced a significant failure; reports indicate that a tire on the nose landing gear likely blew, causing the pilot to lose directional control. The aircraft subsequently veered off the runway and ignited. Emergency services responded to the scene, but the fire consumed a significant portion of the airframe, leading to the deaths of 28 passengers. The remaining 120 occupants survived the accident, many with varying degrees of injury.

Final Conclusions

The investigation into the crash of Flight 945 concluded that the aircraft burst into flames upon landing, but the specific underlying cause remains officially undetermined. The primary hypothesis cited in official records is a nose gear tire failure during the landing roll, which led to a runway excursion and subsequent fire.

Video Analysis

No video analysis linked for this case file yet.

Airframe & Maintenance

Airframe Hours
19,000
Cycles
2,200
Engines
Soloviev D-30KU-154-II

Systems & Failure Modes

i

Nose Landing Gear

The forward landing gear assembly used for steering and support during ground operations; a tire failure here is believed to have caused the loss of control.

Interesting Facts

  • 01The aircraft had accumulated approximately 19,000 flight hours and 2,200 cycles since 1988.
  • 02The airframe was originally owned by Aeroflot before being leased to Iran Airtour in 2005.
  • 03There were 148 people on board, including 11 crew members.
  • 04The accident resulted in 28 fatalities, all of whom were passengers.
  • 05The aircraft was destroyed by the post-crash fire.
  • 06The aircraft's Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) was 88A788.

Location

Mashhad International Airport, Iran · 36.2333, 59.6417

Case File History

  1. CorrectionUpdated investigation summary.
  2. New evidenceUpdated findings.

Related Cases

Case ID · iran-airtour-945-2006Last updated · Filed

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