Iran’s NAJA Aircraft Crashes in Baluchistan

An Iranian Law Enforcement Forces (NAJA) airplane flying to the country’s restive Baluchistan province crashed in the mountainous area outside Zahedan on Saturday night, killing all seven aboard, including three NAJA commanders.

The propeller Turbo Commander airplane took off from Tehran to investigate multiple raids on border guard posts that have killed five guards since Wednesday, Fars News Agency reported. 

A border guard commander told Fars News that the plane was not downed by a missile or other weaponry.

File photo: An Aero Commander 690A turboprop, similar to the one operated by NAJA (Rockwell/Wiki)

 690A Turbo Commander aircraft

Iran Passenger Plane Crashes in Tehran

Killing 39 Passengers and Crew Members

An Iranian passenger plane with 48 people on board crashed today after takeoff from Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, crashing in Azadi Township in western outskirts of the capital. Iranian media reported that at least 39 passengers and crew members were killed, including a number of children.

The Iranian news site Tasnim reported that soon after the takeoff, parts of the plane’s wings were separated and landed in Tehransar Township.

The aircraft was an Ir-140, a version of Ukrainian An-140, assembled in Iran by HESA in Shahin Shahr from kits supplied by Antonov. The plane that crashed was operated by Sepahan Air, a domestic airline, and was scheduled to travel from Tehran to northeastern city of Tabas.

UPDATE: Iran's Ministry of Transport said on Monday that out of six Ir-140 aircraft built in Iran, 2 have crashed (including the one involved in Sunday's crash) and four are not operational.

Top photo: Iranian Ir-140 crashes in populated Azazi Township in western outskirts of Tehran (IRNA)

Bottom photo: File photo of an Ir-140 (IRNA)

Malaysia Airlines Jet Brought Down by Missile

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 with 298 people aboard was blown out of the sky today at 33,000 feet by what Ukrainian and U.S. officials described as a Russian-made antiaircraft missile. The plane crashed on a wheat field in a part of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russia separatists. Everyone aboard was killed. (The New York Times, 17 July)

U.S. intelligence and military officials said the plane had been destroyed by a Russian SA-series missile, based on surveillance satellite data that showed the final trajectory and impact of the missile but not its point of origin, the Times reported.

The separatists had in recent days bragged about shooting down at least three Ukrainian military aircraft. This time, they could have mistaken MH 17 flight with a Ukrainian military aircraft.

“This is a tragic day in what has already been a tragic year for Malaysia,” said Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia. “If it transpires that the plane was indeed shot down, we insist that the perpetrators must swiftly be brought to justice.”

Photo credit: The crash site of a Malaysia Airlines 777 carrying 298 people in the Donets region of Ukraine. (Dmitry Lovetsky/AP/NYTimes)

Iran F-4 Phantom Crashes

Killing Pilot and Co-Pilot

An IRIAF F-4E Phantom II fighter jet crashed in southern Fars province on Tuesday. The pilot and the co-pilot were killed. IRIAF Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohammadi, the Air Force commander for Fars region, confirmed the news late today.

Gen. Mohammadi said the F-4E was based at Bandar Abbas AFB, but had taken off from Shiraz and crashed at 11:15 am local time (0645 GMT) near Bakhtegan Lake in Fars province. The identities of the pilots were not released. (ISNA/Press TV, 15 July)

Last September, another F-4E fighter crashed while landing at Bushehr AFB, killing its pilot. Two other F-4s also crashed in 2010 and 2012 in Bushehr and Bandar Abbas respectively.

Iran purchased some 260 F-4s during the Shah’s government in late 1960s and 70s. The first combat use of F-4s was in 1975 when the Shah supported Omani government against the separatist rebels in Dhofar. The F-4s also played key role in the 8-year Iran-Iraq war. To this day the F-4 remains the workhorse of IRIAF, with an estimated 55 F-4s still operational. Last year, the Phantoms were fitted with Qader anti-ship cruise missiles to give Iran air-launched cruise missile capability.

File photo: IRIAF F-4E Phantom II over Tehran. March 2013. (theaviationist.com)

Iranian F-4E Phantom Crashes in Bushehr

The Aviationist, David Cenciotti’s weblog, today confirmed eyewitness accounts and reports received by UOI, that an Iranian F-4E Phantom crashed on Bushehr air base’s runway on Monday, killing its pilot and injuring WSO.

The F-4E Phantom II of the 61^st Tactical Fighter Squadron in Bushehr apparently had a “violent tire burst” while landing on runway 31L on September 23^rd, forcing the aircraft off the runway. The crew attempted to eject which resulted in the tragic death of the pilot, Major Rezaie. The WSO Capt. Salimi was injured. (theaviationist.com, 27 September)

This is the third crash of an Iranian F-4 Phantom in the last three years, which includes the 2010 crash in Bushehr and 2012 crash in Bandar Abbas. 

The F-4 remains the workhorse of IRIAF. The Iranian air force has recently mounted Qader anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM) on its F-4Es (see the report here). The move gives Iran ALCM capabilities, in addition to its ASCMs that can be fired from land or the sea. 

The Shah of Iran purchased more than 260 F-4s in late 1960s and 1970s. The first combat use of an F-4 by Iranian air force was in 1975 when the Shah supported Oman government against the separatist rebels in the country’s Dhofar province. It is estimated that some 30 F-4s were lost during the conflict. The F-4s played key role in the 8-year war with Iraq, and an estimated 80 Phantoms were lost during that war. To this day, the F-4s are responsible for majority of alert duties for the IRIAF.

Currently, the F-4Es are based in Bushehr, Bandar Abbas and Hamadan air force bases. It is estimated that some 60 F-4E and RF-4Es are still kept fly-worthy and operational, and few aging F-4Ds that are based in Chahbahar.

Note: Winston of The Spirit of Man first posted about the IRIAF F-4 accident on 25 September. To see his post, please click here. Our apologies to Winston and to our readers for not crediting the author and the blog. It was unintentional. 

Photo credit: Shahram Sharifi/The Aviationist (the Aviationist says that the photo shows the crew members that were involved in the deadly crash of the F-4E on Monday)

Iran F-5 Fighter Crashes

Killing Both Crew

An Iranian F-5 fighter jet crashed today after hitting Filman Mountain in the western province of Ilam, killing both crewmembers, the semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. The pilots were attached to the Fourth Tactical Fighter Squadron based at Dezful AFB. But the officials have not yet identified them by name or rank.

Iran's air force retains an aging fleet, including F-5s and some other aircraft purchased before the 1979 Islamic revolution. In January 2012, an F-14 fighter crashed minutes after takeoff, also killing both crew.

File photo: Lineup of Northrop F-5F Tiger II aircraft in use since the mid-1970s. Dezful Air Show, March 2013 (IRNA)

Iranian Jet Fighter Crashes in Bandar Abbas

An Iranian air force F-4 jet has crashed in the Persian Gulf port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday. The jet crashed while taking off from the city’s air base. The two airmen on board were reportedly killed in the crash. Iranian officials denied a report that the jet fighter was intercepted over the Persian Gulf before the crash. (Assr-e Iran, 14 October).

File photo: IRIAF F-4 Phantoms (Airlines.net)