

Narrative:
A Caspian Airlines Tupolev Tu-154M passenger plane was destroyed when it struck terrain near Qazvin, Iran, 16 minutes after takeoff. The airplane departed Tehran-Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA), Iran to Yerevan Airport (EVN), Armenia.
After takeoff the flight was cleared to climb to 32000 feet. While climbing through at 28800 feet, the plane suddenly turned 270 degrees and entered a rapid descent to 14700 feet in just 55 seconds (which would be an average of 256 feet/sec). Air traffic controllers attempted to contact the flight, but there was no response. They asked two Iran Air an Aseman Airlines flights that were in the area to contact Flight 7908, but these attempts failed too.
The airplane exploded on impact and disintegrated, creating a 10 m deep crater with small pieces of debris scattered around the impact area.
A fatigue failure of a disk of the first stage of the low-pressure compressor (LPC) of engine no.1. The uncontained failure of this part in the tail of the aircraft resulted in a loss of control.
Loss of control
» IRNA
» FARS
» Caspian Airlines
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: YA-TAR
» source: Soviet Transports
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 15 July 2009 |
| Time: | 11:53 |
| Type: |  Tupolev Tu-154M |
| Operator: | Caspian Airlines |
| Registration: | EP-CPG |
| MSN: | 87A748 |
| First flight: | 1987 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 26593 |
| Cycles: | 16248 |
| Engines: | 3 Soloviev D-30KU-154-II |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 158 / Occupants: 158 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 168 / Occupants: 168 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 12 km (7.5 mls) S of Qazvin ( Iran)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Tehran-Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA/OIIE), Iran |
| Yerevan Airport (EVN/UDYZ), Armenia | |
| Flightnumber: | CPN7908 |
A Caspian Airlines Tupolev Tu-154M passenger plane was destroyed when it struck terrain near Qazvin, Iran, 16 minutes after takeoff. The airplane departed Tehran-Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA), Iran to Yerevan Airport (EVN), Armenia.
After takeoff the flight was cleared to climb to 32000 feet. While climbing through at 28800 feet, the plane suddenly turned 270 degrees and entered a rapid descent to 14700 feet in just 55 seconds (which would be an average of 256 feet/sec). Air traffic controllers attempted to contact the flight, but there was no response. They asked two Iran Air an Aseman Airlines flights that were in the area to contact Flight 7908, but these attempts failed too.
The airplane exploded on impact and disintegrated, creating a 10 m deep crater with small pieces of debris scattered around the impact area.
Probable Cause:
A fatigue failure of a disk of the first stage of the low-pressure compressor (LPC) of engine no.1. The uncontained failure of this part in the tail of the aircraft resulted in a loss of control.
Accident investigation:

 |
|
Classification:
Uncontained engine failureLoss of control
Sources:
» CNN» IRNA
» FARS
» Caspian Airlines
Photos
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: EP-CPG
accident date: 15-07-2009
type: Tupolev Tu-154M
registration: YA-TAR
Aircraft history
| date | registration | operator | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 APR 1987 | YA-TAR | Bakhtar Afghan | delivered |
| YA-TAR | Ariana Afghan | ||
| 1998 | YA-TAR | Caspian Airlines | leased |
| MAR 1998 | EP-CPG | Caspian Airlines | registered |
» source: Soviet Transports
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Tehran-Imam Khomeini International Airport to Yerevan Airport as the crow flies is 788 km (492 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Tehran-Imam Khomeini International Airport to Yerevan Airport as the crow flies is 788 km (492 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Tupolev Tu-154
Iran- 3rd worst accident (at the time)
- 4th worst accident (currently)
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