Plane catches fire at Tehran airport, scores killed, injured

[MaineDem]

TEHRAN, Iran, April 20 — A plane carrying 157 people caught fire on the runway Wednesday shortly after landing at Tehran airport, killing scores of passengers and injuring others, state-run television reported.

The station said the plane's left engine began burning while the craft was taxiing on the runway at Mehrabad airport. The Saha Airlines plane then plunged into a river at the end of the runway, the broadcaster said.

The report said ''scores'' of passengers were killed, but gave no specific figure. It blamed the fire on a ''technical failure.''

http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusintl/ap04-20-121836.asp?reg=mideast&vts=42020051245

[Sannum]

1. Why do I think that we did this?

Has our government fallen that low? I hate that this is our first reaction.

[etherealtruth]

2. I can't let my mind go there ...

... this is such a tragedy.

[htuttle]

3. July 3, 1988

The USS Vincennes shot down an Iranian Airbus killing 290 civilians. So it's not as if it's never happened before.

No idea about this current incident, though...

:shrug:

[donheld]

4. here's a link

Plane catches fire on runway in Tehran, 50 passengers reported killed
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A passenger plane caught fire while taxiing at Tehran airport, injuring scores of passengers, state-run television reported Wednesday.
The station initially reported 50 people were killed; a later report said the deaths were not confirmed.

The plane's left engine caught fire on the runway at Mehrabad airport, the TV report said. The Saha Airlines plane then plunged into a river at the end of the runway, the broadcaster said.

"No deaths have been confirmed by the officials," the television said, backing off its earlier report that 50 people had been killed.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-04-20-iran-fire_x.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

[Career Prole]

5. Given the circumstances my first guess on the fire would be FOD

or Foreign Object Damage. The intake could have sucked up some trash off the runway and blew apart.
Anyone's guess at this point.
It's a damn shame, though. :(

[napi21]

6. I agree on the FOD guess. Worst possible time for a fire on a plane

is upon takeoff! Fully fueled, heavy, not many options.

Very sad that this happened!

[oldtime dfl_er]

8. But this one was landing

Woudln't have had tons of fuel. Weird.

www.cafepress.com/showtheworld

[anakie]

7. aren't the Iranians struggling for spare parts

for their commercial aircraft due to sanctions? Technical failure may be the most likely cause. But I had to look just to see if * had started the next in the ongoing Oil Wars.

[Danmel]

9. Sometimes an accident is just an accident

My sympathies to those killed and injured.