Iran Air Flight 291 facts for kids
An Iran Air Boeing 727-100, similar to the one involved.
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| Acccident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | January 21, 1980 |
| Summary | Inoperable ILS and ground radar |
| Place | Alborz Mountains, Iran 35°44′N 51°25′E / 35.733°N 51.417°E |
| Passengers | 120 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Fatalities | 128 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 727-86 |
| Airline/user | Iran Air |
| Registration | EP-IRD |
| Flew from | Mashhad Airport (MHD/OIMM), Iran |
| Flying to | Tehran-Mehrabad Airport (THR/OIII), Iran |
Iran Air Flight 291 was a passenger flight that crashed on January 21, 1980. The plane was a Boeing 727, flying from Mashhad Airport to Tehran-Mehrabad Airport in Iran.
At 7:11 PM local time, the aircraft crashed into the Alborz Mountains. This happened about 29 kilometers (18 miles) north of Tehran. The plane was trying to land at Tehran-Mehrabad Airport. The weather was very bad, with thick fog and snow. All 8 crew members and 120 passengers on board died in the accident. The plane was completely destroyed. At that time, Iran Air Flight 291 was the worst airplane disaster in Iran's history.
What Caused the Crash?
Investigators looked into what caused the accident. They believed the main reason for the crash was that some important equipment was not working. This included the instrument landing system (ILS) and the ground radar.
The ILS helps pilots land planes safely, especially in bad weather. Ground radar helps air traffic controllers see planes on their screens. Because these systems were not working, the pilots and air traffic controllers faced big challenges.
After the crash, officials looked into the problems with the equipment. Some people in charge of Iran's aviation authority were held responsible for the equipment failures that led to the crash.
See also
In Spanish: Vuelo 291 de Iran Air para niños
