Iran A313 near Tehran on Jun 7th 2022, turbulence injures 2

Last Update: March 19, 2023 / 17:51:22 GMT/Zulu time

Bookmark this article
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 7, 2022

Classification
Report

Airline
Iran Air

Flight number
IR-718

Departure
Istanbul, Turkey

Destination
Tehran Imam Khomeini, Iran

Aircraft Registration
EP-IBK

Aircraft Type
Airbus A310-300

ICAO Type Designator
A313

An Iran Air Airbus A310-300, registration EP-IBK performing flight IR-718 from Istanbul (Turkey) to Tehran Imam Khomeini (Iran) with 200 passengers and 12 crew, was descending through FL320 towards Tehran when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing vertical accelerations between +2.133G and -0.16G and injuries to a passenger and a flight attendant. The aircraft subsequently went around at Imam Khomeini Airport due to weather and diverted to Isfahan (Iran), where the aircraft landed without further incident about 45 minutes after the go around and about one hour after the turbulence encounter. The flight attendant received serious injuries (fracture of right hand).

Iran's Civil Aviation Authority rated the occurrence an accident and on Mar 19th 2023 released their final report concluding the probable cause of the accident was:

The Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has determined that the main cause of the accident was the moderate to severe turbulence effects while flying near the top of cumulus clouds, causing a passenger and a cabin crew member who was not fastening their seat belts to sustain injuries.

Contributing Factors:

- After switching ON the “Seat Belt” signs, the cockpit crew did not communicate with the cabin crew to expect the possible turbulence.

The AAIB summarized the sequence of events:

This flight entered Iran's airspace around 16:30 local time (12:00 UTC) and was controlled by Tehran Radar Unit by contacting the Airspace Control Center. The flight was cleared to decrease its altitude and land at Imam Khomeini Int’l Airport in Tehran, and the “Seat Belt” signs in the cabin were switched ON accordingly.

Around 17:00 local time (12:30 UTC), the aircraft was suddenly exposed to unexpected turbulence while descending through FL320 (32,000 feet) on the border of Takestan City in Qazvin Province. The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude (sink), so one of the flight attendants and one of the passengers who were not fastening the seat belt were injured. Then, the aircraft was prepared for landing at Imam Khomeini Int’l Airport, but due to bad weather and a storm, the captain decided to divert to an alternative airport (Isfahan Int’l Airport) and landed there at 18:10 local time (13:31 UTC).

The AAIB reported:

A Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) from FL 280 up to FL 370 accompanied by Moderate Turbulences was anticipated in the north of the country and over Tehran City moving toward the east.

A Jet Stream was observed at FL 370, speed: 100 knots, which was moving from the west of the country toward the east and passing over Tehran City and the south hillside of Alborz Mountain.

The AAIB analysed:

Weather:

It is highly probable that there was a Towering Cumulus (TCU) cloud with low temperature and high top of a cloud in the vicinity where the aircraft experienced moderate to severe turbulence. Usually, TCU clouds are associated with powerful convective activity. Probably, one of the passengers and one of the cabin crew were injured at this time.

The shaking of the aircraft:

According to the DFDR records, the vertical acceleration greatly fluctuated between positive and negative amounts. At 12:29:33 UTC, during the descent phase of the flight, the vertical acceleration was with the maximum amount of “2.133”, and immediately, at 12:29:34 UTC it dropped to “-0.16”. When the aircraft skimmed the cumulus cloud top and shook violently due to strong disturbance. It is highly probable that because of this shaking, a passenger and a cabin crew member were injured.

Switching ON the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign:

The aircraft descended to land at Tehran IKA airport. The route which ended at the approach point was not far enough away from the significant weather area. Before descent, the pilot in command switched ON the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign without giving the cabin crew members and passengers ample notice about the expected shaking of the aircraft.

Metars Tehran:
OIIE 071400Z 36018KT 9999 FEW035CB SCT040 BKN100 34/03 Q1009=
OIIE 071300Z 21020KT 9999 FEW035CB SCT040 BKN100 35/02 Q1009=
OIIE 071200Z 17006KT 9999 FEW040 SCT100 BKN100 37/00 Q1008=
OIIE 071130Z 00000KT CAVOK 38/01 Q1008=
OIIE 071100Z 32008KT CAVOK 37/02 Q1009=
OIIE 071000Z 03008KT CAVOK 37/01 Q1009=
OIIE 070900Z 03008KT CAVOK 35/02 Q1010=
OIIE 070830Z 32010KT 8000 SCT100 35/03 Q1011=
OIIE 070800Z 33020KT 3000 R29/P2000 R11/P2000 SQ SA FEW040 SCT100 33/04 Q1011=

Metars Isfahan:
OIFM 071500Z 32004KT 7000 FEW035TCU FEW040 SCT100 33/M00 Q1014 A2996=
OIFM 071430Z 29006KT 6000 FEW040 33/01 Q1014 A2996=
OIFM 071400Z 29016KT 6000 NSC 33/01 Q1014 A2996=
OIFM 071330Z 28025KT 6000 FEW040 34/M01 Q1014 A2997=
OIFM 071300Z 09018KT 4000 DU FEW040 35/M00 Q1014 A2996=
OIFM 071230Z 27012KT 7000 FEW040 36/M02 Q1014 A2996=
OIFM 071200Z 33010KT 6000 FEW040 35/M01 Q1014 A2997=
OIFM 071130Z 24012KT 6000 FEW040 35/M01 Q1015 A2998=
OIFM 071100Z 29008KT 6000 FEW040 35/M01 Q1015 A2998=
OIFM 071030Z 16004KT 6000 FEW040 35/M01 Q1015 A2999=
OIFM 071000Z 00000KT 5000 DU NSC 35/M01 Q1016 A3001=
OIFM 070930Z 31008KT 5000 DU NSC 34/03 Q1016 A3001=
OIFM 070900Z 20004KT 4000 DU NSC 34/02 Q1017 A3004=
OIFM 070830Z 13006KT 4000 DU NSC 34/02 Q1017 A3004=
OIFM 070800Z 23006KT 4000 DU NSC 33/01 Q1017 A3005=
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 7, 2022

Classification
Report

Airline
Iran Air

Flight number
IR-718

Departure
Istanbul, Turkey

Destination
Tehran Imam Khomeini, Iran

Aircraft Registration
EP-IBK

Aircraft Type
Airbus A310-300

ICAO Type Designator
A313

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
Article source

You can read 2 more free articles without a subscription.

Subscribe now and continue reading without any limits!

Subscribe now
Are you a subscriber? Login
Subscribe

Read unlimited articles and receive our daily update briefing. Gain better insights into what is happening in commercial aviation safety.

Compare our plans

Send tip

Support AeroInside by sending a small tip amount.

Send tip

Related articles

Newest articles

Subscribe today

Are you researching aviation incidents? Get access to AeroInside Insights, unlimited read access and receive the daily newsletter.

Pick your plan and subscribe

Partner

ELITE Logo

ELITE Simulation Solutions is a leading global provider of Flight Simulation Training Devices, IFR training software as well as flight controls and related services. Find out more.

SafetyScan Pro

SafetyScan Pro provides streamlined access to thousands of aviation accident reports. Tailored for your safety management efforts. Book your demo today

AeroInside Blog
Popular aircraft
Airbus A320
Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737-800 MAX
Popular airlines
American Airlines
United
Delta
Air Canada
Lufthansa
British Airways