 EP-ATS, the aircraft involved, photographed in 2010 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 18 February 2018 |
| Summary | Stalled and crashed in adverse weather conditions |
| Site | Dena Massif, Zagros Mountains, near Yasuj Airport, Yasuj, Iran 30°49′25″N 51°36′56″E / 30.82361°N 51.61556°E |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | ATR 72-212 |
| Operator | Iran Aseman Airlines |
| IATA flight No. | EP3704 |
| ICAO flight No. | IRC3704 |
| Call sign | ASEMAN 3704 |
| Registration | EP-ATS |
| Flight origin | Mehrabad International Airport, Tehran, Iran |
| Destination | Yasuj Airport, Yasuj, Iran |
| Occupants | 66 |
| Passengers | 60 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 66 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 3704 was a scheduled Iranian domestic passenger flight from Iranian capital Tehran Mehrabad International Airport to Yasuj in southwest Iran. On 18 February 2018, during its approach to Yasuj, the aircraft serving the flight, an ATR 72-212 operated by Iran Aseman Airlines, crashed into Mount Dena in the Zagros Mountains near Noqol village in Semirom county, Isfahan Province. All 66 people on board, including 60 passengers and 6 crew members, were killed.
According to the interim report, which was published on 18 February 2019 by the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization (CAO), the accident was caused by multiple factors, with pilot error considered as the main cause. The investigation showed that the crew decided to continue to Yasuj despite deteriorating weather conditions in the area. During its approach, the crew elected to descend below the minimum altitude. The resulting bad weather caused the aircraft to stall. The crew failed to recover the aircraft from the stall and the aircraft crashed onto the mountain.[2]
The crash highlighted the danger of mountain wave and the aviation industry's lack of awareness of the issue. The Iranian CAO published several recommendations to ICAO and the European Aviation Safety Agency to address the hazard that a mountain wave may pose to the safety of a flight. Subsequently, the crash also led to changes of the weather training programs for airliners in Iran.[2]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
AVHwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Final Report: Accident Investigation Report Aircraft ATR72-212 registered EP-ATS Operated by Iran Aseman Airline Enroute Tehran to Yasouj 18 Feb, 2018" (PDF). Civil Aviation Organization. 15 June 2020. A961129EPATS.