Tehran - Bandar-e Mahshahr

On Jan. 27, 2020, at 03:12 UTC Caspian Airlines (CPN) Flight 6936, an MD83, EP-CPZ took off from Mehrabad International Airport and climbed to FL320 as final cruising level. At about 03:45:37 UTC, the aircraft was flying according to the flight plan route on Airway B417 at an assigned FL320. Due to another traffic departing flight, an A320, IRA356 from Abadan Airport (OIAA) to destination Mashhad International Airport (OIMM), the ACC controller issued direct routing to the flight CPN 6936 position GODMO. At 03:49:34 UTC, CPN6936 requested descent clearance, so the flight was cleared to FL100. At 03:52:30 UTC, the pilot called Mahshahr AFISO and reported position 50 nm inbound GODMO and estimated time over GODMO at 03:59 UTC. At 03:52:51 UTC, Mahshahr AFISO reported necessary information as below: "RWY active is 31; wind is now 280/08kts, CAVOK, temperature +06, DP 04 and QNH 1023, expected VOR approach RWY 31 via GODMO 1E ARRIVAL" At 03:53: 33 UTC, the pilot requested RWY 13 and Mahshahr AFISO performed VOR/DME approach RWY 13, via GODMO 1F arrival. At 03:59:39 UTC, the pilot reported, “we are approaching position GODMO in contact with destination Mahshahr.” At 04:00:41UTC, the pilot reported his position “GODMO” to Mahshahr AFISO. At 04:02:46 UTC, the pilot reported leaving of IAF and received landing clearance for RWY13. Finally, at 04:06:11 UTC, the aircraft landed on RWY 13, passed two-thirds of RWY length and ran off the end of runway13 after landing at Mahshahr Airport at 04:06 UTC, Khuzestan province. The accident flight was being operated on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan in a Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC). The main door of the accident aircraft was opened in emergency condition, but the slide skid did not operate automatically. The cabin floor was just too close to the ground (grass surface) due to the impact of the nose and main landing gears strut which were broken after the runway overrun. The evacuation was performed from the main door, and all 136 passengers and 8 crew members disembarked.

Flight / Schedule

Tehran - Bandar-e Mahshahr

Registration

EP-CPZ

MSN

53464

Year of Manufacture

1994

Date

January 27, 2020 at 07:36 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Bandar-e Mahshahr Khuzestan

Region

Asia • Iran

Coordinates

30.5458°, 49.1705°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On January 27, 2020 at 07:36 AM, Tehran - Bandar-e Mahshahr experienced a crash involving McDonnell Douglas MD-83, operated by Caspian Airlines, with the event recorded near Bandar-e Mahshahr Khuzestan.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

144 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 144 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 8, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 136, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. On Jan. 27, 2020, at 03:12 UTC Caspian Airlines (CPN) Flight 6936, an MD83, EP-CPZ took off from Mehrabad International Airport and climbed to FL320 as final cruising level. At about 03:45:37 UTC, the aircraft was flying according to the flight plan route on Airway B417 at an assigned FL320. Due to another traffic departing flight, an A320, IRA356 from Abadan Airport (OIAA) to destination Mashhad International Airport (OIMM), the ACC controller issued direct routing to the flight CPN 6936 position GODMO. At 03:49:34 UTC, CPN6936 requested descent clearance, so the flight was cleared to FL100. At 03:52:30 UTC, the pilot called Mahshahr AFISO and reported position 50 nm inbound GODMO and estimated time over GODMO at 03:59 UTC. At 03:52:51 UTC, Mahshahr AFISO reported necessary information as below: "RWY active is 31; wind is now 280/08kts, CAVOK, temperature +06, DP 04 and QNH 1023, expected VOR approach RWY 31 via GODMO 1E ARRIVAL" At 03:53: 33 UTC, the pilot requested RWY 13 and Mahshahr AFISO performed VOR/DME approach RWY 13, via GODMO 1F arrival. At 03:59:39 UTC, the pilot reported, “we are approaching position GODMO in contact with destination Mahshahr.” At 04:00:41UTC, the pilot reported his position “GODMO” to Mahshahr AFISO. At 04:02:46 UTC, the pilot reported leaving of IAF and received landing clearance for RWY13. Finally, at 04:06:11 UTC, the aircraft landed on RWY 13, passed two-thirds of RWY length and ran off the end of runway13 after landing at Mahshahr Airport at 04:06 UTC, Khuzestan province. The accident flight was being operated on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan in a Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC). The main door of the accident aircraft was opened in emergency condition, but the slide skid did not operate automatically. The cabin floor was just too close to the ground (grass surface) due to the impact of the nose and main landing gears strut which were broken after the runway overrun. The evacuation was performed from the main door, and all 136 passengers and 8 crew members disembarked.

Aircraft reference details include registration EP-CPZ, MSN 53464, year of manufacture 1994.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 30.5458°, 49.1705°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

On Jan. 27, 2020, at 03:12 UTC Caspian Airlines (CPN) Flight 6936, an MD83, EP-CPZ took off from Mehrabad International Airport and climbed to FL320 as final cruising level. At about 03:45:37 UTC, the aircraft was flying according to the flight plan route on Airway B417 at an assigned FL320. Due to another traffic departing flight, an A320, IRA356 from Abadan Airport (OIAA) to destination Mashhad International Airport (OIMM), the ACC controller issued direct routing to the flight CPN 6936 position GODMO. At 03:49:34 UTC, CPN6936 requested descent clearance, so the flight was cleared to FL100. At 03:52:30 UTC, the pilot called Mahshahr AFISO and reported position 50 nm inbound GODMO and estimated time over GODMO at 03:59 UTC. At 03:52:51 UTC, Mahshahr AFISO reported necessary information as below: "RWY active is 31; wind is now 280/08kts, CAVOK, temperature +06, DP 04 and QNH 1023, expected VOR approach RWY 31 via GODMO 1E ARRIVAL" At 03:53: 33 UTC, the pilot requested RWY 13 and Mahshahr AFISO performed VOR/DME approach RWY 13, via GODMO 1F arrival. At 03:59:39 UTC, the pilot reported, “we are approaching position GODMO in contact with destination Mahshahr.” At 04:00:41UTC, the pilot reported his position “GODMO” to Mahshahr AFISO. At 04:02:46 UTC, the pilot reported leaving of IAF and received landing clearance for RWY13. Finally, at 04:06:11 UTC, the aircraft landed on RWY 13, passed two-thirds of RWY length and ran off the end of runway13 after landing at Mahshahr Airport at 04:06 UTC, Khuzestan province. The accident flight was being operated on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan in a Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC). The main door of the accident aircraft was opened in emergency condition, but the slide skid did not operate automatically. The cabin floor was just too close to the ground (grass surface) due to the impact of the nose and main landing gears strut which were broken after the runway overrun. The evacuation was performed from the main door, and all 136 passengers and 8 crew members disembarked.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

8

Passengers On Board

136

Estimated Survivors

144

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 144

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Tehran - Bandar-e Mahshahr

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

Asia • Iran

Aircraft Details

Registration

EP-CPZ

MSN

53464

Year of Manufacture

1994

Similar Plane Crashes

September 6, 1929 at 12:00 AM3 Fatalities

Imperial Airways

De Havilland DH.66 Hercules

For unknown reasons, the aircraft departed Bandar Lengeh Airport with delay. Thus, the crew started the approach to Jask Airport by night and limited visibility. On short final, the aircraft was too low and impacted the ground short of runway threshold. Upon impact, the the fuel tank ruptured and the aircraft caught fire before coming to rest, bursting into flames. Two passengers were rescued while three other occupants were killed.

May 2, 1931 at 12:00 AM

Venetia Montagu

De Havilland DH.60 Moth

En route from Tehran to Moscow, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed near Sabzevar, bursting into flames. Both occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

October 31, 1932 at 12:00 AM

Babar Mirza

Simmonds Spartan

The pilot, sole on board, departed Croydon on a flight to Hyderabad, India. While cruising over Iran, the engine failed. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a desert area located in the region of Bushehr. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

November 10, 1933 at 12:00 AM

Asiatic Petroleum Company

General Aircraft ST-4 Monospar

Crashed on approach to Chah Bahar Airfield for unknown reasons. The pilot was injured and the airplane was written off.

July 17, 1935 at 04:30 PM

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij

Douglas DC-2

During the takeoff run at Bushehr Airport, after traveling a distance of some 300 meters and running at a speed of 120 km/h, the aircraft christened 'Maraboe' hit an unevenness on the runway surface. The right main gear broke off and a fuel line was cut. The aircraft went out of control, swerved on runway and eventually came to rest in flames. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

February 18, 1945 at 12:00 AM4 Fatalities

United States Army Air Forces - USAAF

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Shortly after takeoff from Abadan Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft nosed down and crashed, killing all four occupants. The flight was completed on behalf of the 1266th Army Air Force Base Unit, North African Division, Air Transport Command. Crew: Cpl Joseph Brine, 2nd Lt George H. Hafford, 1st Lt Samuel B. Isbell, 1st Lt Richard E. Wheelus.