[Hunted]

A tragic incident unfolded when a Saha Airlines Boeing 707-300 freighter, registered as EP-CPP, was involved in a devastating accident. The aircraft was on a freight flight from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, bound for Karaj, Iran, with 16 crew members and a cargo of meat.

During the approach to Karaj's Payam Airport's runway 30, which had a considerable length of 3660 meters (12,000 feet), the crew mistakenly descended and attempted to land on runway 31L at Fath Airport. This runway, in contrast, was much shorter, measuring 1070 meters (3510 feet) in length and 25 meters (80 feet) in width. The Boeing 707 overran the runway, crashed through an airport perimeter wall, and tragically collided with houses beyond the runway's end, igniting into flames. This catastrophic event occurred at approximately 08:30 local time (03:00 UTC).

Regrettably, only one survivor, the flight engineer, has been rescued from the wreckage so far, while 16 bodies, comprising 15 males and one female, have been recovered. Emergency services also reported significant damage to several houses in the vicinity.

The aircraft was confirmed to belong to Saha Airlines by Iran's Air Force. Notably, there will be no investigation conducted under ICAO Annex 13, as Iran's accident investigation board will not oversee the inquiry. Instead, a military-led investigation committee has taken charge, given that the flight was conducted without the proper certificates for civil operation.

In a television interview on January 17, 2019, the flight engineer, the sole survivor of the crash, recounted the incident from his hospital bed. He described a normal landing, albeit at the wrong airport, and the sudden realization of being at the end of the runway without time for any reaction. His story highlighted the shock and chaos that unfolded during the tragic event, ultimately leaving him trapped in the wreckage until a courageous bystander came to his rescue.

[durt]

Feel bad for the 707
Not many left.

[RiversEdge]

I'd hate to live in the neighborhood that was trashed. must be a living hell to navigate those constant aircraft noises.