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Passengers onboard a Sepehran Airlines flight recorded their terrifying experience as the Boeing 737 they were flying from Mashhad to Kermanshah in Iranexperienced a mechanical failure. The flight made an emergency landing in Mashhad on September 15, when the aircraft lost a tire on its landing gear. As captured in the video, the plane was seen shaking violently, and then a section of the cabin ceiling fell onto passengers.
As the plane moved down the runway, the ceiling lining of the 737 fell onto passengers in their seats. The video shows passengers screaming in fear. There have been no reported injuries from the flight, and once the aircraft came to a complete stop, all passengers and crew were evacuated safely.
A Burst Tire And A Falling Ceiling
It is understood that the routine domestic flight from Mashhad Hashemi Nejad International Airport (MHD) to Kermanshah International Airport (KSH) experienced a burst tire on takeoff. This resulted in the captain declaring an emergency and returning to Mashhad. In a report by the Indian Express, while the tire burst is believed to have occurred on departure, this is yet to be confirmed.
On arrival back in Mashhad, passengers recorded the terrifying experience as the aircraft shook violently as it touched down on the airport’s runway. As screams and yelling are captured in the video, the ceiling panels of the 737 collapse and fall onto the passengers below. The aircraft eventually came to a complete stop, and passengers were able to deplane.
Mashhad Airport closed the runway temporarily for assessment before it was reopened hours later. The Iran Civil Aviation Organization will now open an investigation into the incident.
Simple Flying reached out to Sepehran Airlines for comment; however, an airline spokesperson could not immediately be reached.
About Sepehran Airlines
Sepehran Airlines is an Iranian airline that is based out of Mashhad, the second-largest city in Iran. The airline was founded in 2016 and, according to ch-aviation, has since grown to have a total of 13 aircraft and flies to 21 domestic and international destinations in and around the Gulf to countries including Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
Fleet data show that, combined, all of the carrier’s aircraft have an average age of more than 30 years. These three-decade-old jets are made up primarily of Boeing 737 variants, including the 737-300 and 737-500, with one inactive Fairchild Dornier Do328-300. Full details below:
Aircraft Type | Active Aircraft | Inactive Aircraft | Average Age |
|---|---|---|---|
Boeing 737-300 | Five | One | 31.0 years |
Boeing 737-500 | Two | Four | 33.8 years |
Fairchild Dornier Do328-300 | – | One | 26.0 years |
Sepehran maintains operating hubs at Mashhad, while also providing scheduled flights from additional hubs at both Tehran’s main airports, including Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) and Tehran Mehrabad International Airport (THR).
Second Incident In A Matter Of Weeks
The airline’s latest incident comes just weeks after another event in Mashhad on August 25. One of the carrier’s 737-500s was flying from Tehran to Mashhad with 127 passengers when the aircraft veered off runway 13L and ended up stopping on runway 13R with its nose landing gear collapsing. This resulted in the Iran Civil Aviation Organization opening an investigation. All passengers and crew on this flight were reported as safe.
Sepehran has never recorded any fatal incidents; however, several recent serious mechanical incidents have raised concerns. The airline has an aging fleet, with its 737 airframes having been built as early as the 1990s. Due to international sanctions, the airline faces significant challenges in getting access to airplane parts, making ongoing maintenance difficult.
For the most recent incident with Sepehran, the aircraft ceiling panel collapsing was likely the result of the severe mechanical vibrations as the aircraft was landing on the runway. This can easily loosen fasteners, and due to being made of lightweight decorative plastic trim, this would have caused the panel to drop onto the unsuspecting passengers below.
