Sepahran Airlines Boeing 737 returns to Mashhad after takeoff
A Sepaharan Airlines Boeing 737 plane bound for Kermansha from Mashhad in Iran had to return to Mashhad Airport in an emergency shortly after takeoff on Tuesday, September 15. According to initial reports, a tire on the landing gear developed a serious failure after takeoff and it fell apart. After this, severe vibration was seen in the aircraft.
There are reports of engine problems as well due to tire damage. But the full technical cause of the incident is still a matter of official investigation. Keeping the situation in mind, the pilots decided to return the plane to the ground and make an emergency landing.
Damage in cabin due to vibration
The severe vibration in the plane caused panic among the passengers. Videos published on social media and Iranian media showed items inside the cabin falling upside down. Due to the severe vibration, a portion of the cabin's overhead paneling fell off, exposing structural parts of the aircraft.
In the videos, some passengers were seen feeling scared and worried. However, the plane landed safely at Mashhad Airport. As per available reports, there is no information about any passengers or staff being injured.
Incident occurred at 5:39 pm local time
According to officials of Razavi Khorasan province, the incident occurred at 5:39 pm local time. After the incident the plane was safely returned to Mashhad.
According to Iranian media reports, Sepaharan Airlines spokesman Hassan Jafari said that everyone on board the plane had evacuated safely. Later, arrangements were made to send the passengers to Kermansha via an alternative flight.
After the incident, the runway of Mashhad Airport was closed for some time. After checking the condition of the aircraft and runway, operations were resumed.
dangerous situation caused by tire failure
Slitting an aircraft's tire or removing the tire from the landing gear alone does not lead to an aircraft accident. Aircraft are designed with special mechanisms to cope with such technical conditions. The severity of the hazard depends on what stage of the flight the fault occurred in and the extent of damage it caused to other parts of the aircraft.
Any part of the tire that is worn out may cause damage to the landing gear, engine or other nearby parts. If such a problem occurs immediately after takeoff, pilots will have to follow several procedures. The decision whether to return or continue the flight is made considering factors such as the condition of the aircraft, fuel, altitude and available airports.
In the Mashhad incident, the crew decided to return the plane to the airport. The plane was then landed safely and the passengers were brought out.
Other incidents related to Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is one of the most widely used commercial aircraft families in the world. Thus, technical incidents related to this model are frequently discussed at the international level. However, it is inappropriate to link different incidents with the same cause or the same safety determination.
In May 2024, a Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737-800 by Corondon Airlines, Turkey, had both front landing gear tires punctured while landing at Gazipasa Airport in Turkey. The plane was parked safely on the runway. There were 184 passengers and 6 crew on board. No one was injured. The aircraft's front landing gear was damaged.
In August 2026, a Boeing 737 cargo plane operating for DHL encountered a brake system problem while landing at Los Angeles International Airport in the United States. According to the FAA, four tires deflated after the brakes locked and the plane caught fire. All the crew on board the plane were safe and there was no information about any injuries. Investigation was started regarding the incident.
These incidents demonstrate that tire or brake related faults can occur differently under different conditions. In many cases, planes land safely on runways. Some incidents require additional technical investigation.
Previous security questions about Boeing 737 MAX
The most serious international discussion about the safety of the Boeing 737 family took place after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 involving the 737 MAX. A total of 346 people died in these accidents. Subsequently, 737 MAX aircraft were grounded worldwide for approximately 20 months. Changes were made to the aircraft software, flight-control systems and pilot training.
In January 2024, the mid-cabin exit door plug was removed during a flight on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft. The plane returned safely to Portland. After this incident, the FAA temporarily grounded about 171 affected planes. According to the NTSB, one flight attendant and seven passengers suffered minor injuries in the incident.
The FAA investigation found numerous deficiencies in Boeing's production and quality control processes. Subsequently, the agency increased supervision over the company and took steps to improve production quality.
Technical investigation of Mashhad incident
In the recent incident involving a Sepaharan Airlines flight, the true technical relationship between the tire failure, engine problem and internal cabin damage will be determined only after the investigation is completed. As per the currently available information, the aircraft returned to Mumbai due to emergency and landed safely. All passengers and crew have been evacuated from the aircraft.
This incident occurred about two weeks after the latest incident involving another aircraft of the same airline. According to reports, about two weeks ago another Sepahran Airlines flight went off the runway while landing in Mashhad. There was no information about anyone being injured in that incident.