IRAQI AIRWAYS BOEING 737 LANDS ON CLOSED RUNWAY IN TEHRAN
- Iraqi Airways Boeing 737-800 reportedly landed on a closed runway at Tehran airport, no injuries reported.
- Pilot error led to landing on closed runway due to runway confusion and ongoing construction, according to The Aviation Herald.
- Incident highlights the importance of checking NOTAMs and marking unserviceable runways.
An Iraqi Airways Boeing 737-800 aircraft reportedly landed on a closed runway at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) in Iran on May 1, 2024. The aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported.
The incident details
According to a report by The Aviation Herald, the pilots of an Iraqi Airways Boeing 737-800, registered as YI-ASI, operated an hour flight IA 113 from Al Najaf International Airport (NJF), Iraq, to Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA), Iran, on May 1, 2024.
The flight was cleared to land on runway 11R but mistakenly touched down on the closed runway 11L. The aircraft smoothly rolled out and briefly stopped without incident.
According to The Aviation Herald, the Iraqi Airways flight crew was accustomed to landing on runway 29R, which may have contributed to the error. Runway 11L/29R was closed for ongoing construction.
The aircraft in question is the 10-year-old Boeing 737-800 aircraft. According to ch-aviation data, the aircraft can accommodate a total of 162 passengers in a two-class cabin: 150 passengers in economy and 12 passengers in business class.
It is worth noting that Iraqi Airways has a total of 43 aircraft in its fleet at an average age of 11 years. The fleet comprises 21 Boeing 737s, six Bombardier CRJ900LRs, five Airbus A220s, three Airbus A320s, two Airbus A321s, two Boeing 747s, two Boeing 787 Dreamliners, one Airbus A330, and a single Boeing 777-200LR widebody.
Full House: Iraqi Airways Has Taken Its Last A220 From Airbus
The airline's fifth and final Airbus A220 has now arrived at Baghdad International Airport.Landing on a closed runway is highly uncommon and typically only happens due to an error or an emergency situation. In the event of an emergency, a pilot might decide to land on a closed runway. However, in making this decision, the pilot must carefully assess the potential risks to themselves, their passengers, and individuals on the ground.
According to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report, incidents of landing on closed runways highlight the importance of checking NOTAMS and airport unserviceability markings. The report cited an example of a business jet incident that occurred in 2021.
More about Iraqi Airways
Iraqi Airways is the national carrier of Iraq, headquartered at Baghdad International Airport (BGW) in the country's capital, Baghdad. Established in 1945, the flag carrier is one of the oldest in the Middle East and Central Asia regions.
The Iraqi airline boasts an extensive route network spanning 21 destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and its domestic network in Iraq. In Europe, it serves Berlin (BER), Duesseldorf (DUS), Frankfurt (FRA), Bratislava (BTS), and London (LGW). In Asia, the airline operates flights to Moscow (VKO), Beijing (PEK), Delhi (DEL), Karachi (KHI), and Tehran (IKA).
The Middle East and Africa destinations include Beirut (BEY), Cairo (CAI), Dubai (DXB), and Kuwait (KWT). Meanwhile, the airline's domestic network includes destinations such as Baghdad (BGW), Basra (BSR), Erbil (EBL), Kirkuk (KIK), Najaf (NJF), Nasiriyah (XNH), and Sulaymaniyah (ISU).
What are your thoughts on this closed runway landing? Let us know in the comment section.
2024-05-06T00:39:40Z dg43tfdfdgfd