Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has attributed the 9 January fatal crash of a Dassault Falcon 20E in the northwest of the country to poor weather and engine failure. The IRGC has also confirmed that its commander of ground forces Brig Gen Ahmad Kazemi and the commander of the 27th Rassoulollah army division were among the 11 passengers killed.
The Islamic Republic News Agency confirms the Falcon was carrying IRGC commanders when it crashed at Aidinlou, 12km (8 miles) west of the Azeri city of Orumiyeh. The aircraft was heading north west from Tehran and had flown 900km when it developed technical problems and crashed in poor visibility while attempting a forced landing. Reports quoting the IRGC on Iranian state radio’s website say the pilots had reported failure of both General Electric CF700 engines.
Gen Masoud Jazayeri said on Iran’s state radio that possible causes included double engine failure and poor visibility in snow that foiled the crew’s attempt to land successfully on a road in a flat area. He also said the pilot had told air traffic control that the landing gear had failed to deploy fully. Ground temperature was reported as 4°C (39°F), but icing has not so far been cited as a possible cause for the engine failure. Terrorism has been ruled out, the IRGC says.
Source: Flight International