An Iranian Boeing 707-300 cargo aircraft, operating a Saha Air flight from Bishkek Airport in Kyrgyzstan to Payam Airport in Iran, has crashed following a runway overrun after attempting to land at the wrong airport.
Initial reports say that 15 people were killed and one injured. According to several sources, a total of 16 people were on board the aircraft; this information is yet to be confirmed.
The aircraft, registered as EP-CPP, crash-landed at Fath Airport which only has a runway length of 1300 meters (4265 ft), instead of Payam Airport (IATA code PYK) were it was scheduled to arrive. Fath Airport is a military aerodrome and is situated a few kilometres south-east of Payam Airport. Payam is located about 50 kilometres (31 miles) west of the Iranian capital Tehran.
Officials in Iran blame the accident on a pilot mistake.
Although the flight was operated for Saha Air, the 1976-built Boeing 707-300 is owned by the Iranian Air Force.
In 2005, a Saha Air Boeing 707-300 passenger aircraft overshot the runway during landing at Tehran Mehrabad Airport. Of 169 occupants, three died in the crash.
Jakob Wert is an aviation journalist from Germany. He built up the website IFN.news and is the Editor-In-Chief of International Flight Network.
