Investigation Summary
The accident involved a scheduled domestic passenger flight (Flight 962) and a formation of military attack aircraft. Flight 962 was cleared to depart runway 29R and climb to 6,000 feet. Simultaneously, five Su-24 fighters were approaching runway 29L under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at 5,000 feet. One of the Su-24s, while performing a go-around or turning maneuver approximately 4 miles west of the tower, struck the tail section of the Tu-154. The investigation highlighted critical failures in air traffic control coordination and the military pilot's failure to maintain visual separation while operating in a high-density civilian terminal area.
Final Conclusions
The primary causes were attributed to Air Traffic Control (ATC) error and pilot error by the Su-24 crew. The controller allowed the military formation to operate in close proximity to the civilian departure corridor without adequate separation. The Su-24 pilots failed to maintain visual sight of the climbing airliner during their maneuver. The collision resulted in the total loss of both aircraft and remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Iranian history.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Systems & Failure Modes
Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
The military aircraft were operating under VFR, which requires pilots to 'see and avoid' other traffic, a task made difficult by the high-speed maneuvers.
Air Traffic Control (ATC)
The Mehrabad controller was responsible for separating the departing civilian flight from the incoming military formation.
Interesting Facts
- 01The Tu-154 was piloted by a Russian captain with 12,000 flight hours.
- 02The Su-24 was returning from an Air Force Day flypast rehearsal.
- 03The collision occurred approximately 9.4 miles (15 km) from Mehrabad Airport.
- 04Most of the 119 passengers on the airliner were pilgrims traveling to the holy city of Mashhad.
- 05The accident was the deadliest aviation event worldwide in 1993.
Safety Actions & Advisories
ATC Coordination Improvements
The accident led to stricter protocols regarding the separation of military display flights and scheduled civilian traffic at Mehrabad International Airport.