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Video of the Day - IranAir 727 makes emergency landing
Just one week ago on October 18th, an IranAir Boeing 727 landed at Tehran's Mehrabad airport without the use of its front landing gear, after the bay of the nose gear failed to open on approach.
The crew performed a landing without the nose gear on runway 29L and came to a stand still on both the main gear and the nose of the aircraft. The flight, traveling from Moscow to Iran, held 94 passengers and 19 crew members; none were injured in the landing.
Video of the landing has now surfaced on Youtube, demonstrating an incredibly skillful landing executed by the pilot and his crew.
Filed under: Stories, Iran, Airlines, Video, News, Middle East
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Steve Oct 25th 2011 6:39PM
All that is missing is the rat pickup truck holding up the nose of the aircraft.
John Oct 25th 2011 6:06PM
Great landing! The 727 was a workhorse for US Airlines in the 1970's and 1980's and was a very reliable and sturdy airframe! That pilot did a great job!
Pam Oct 25th 2011 6:12PM
Ditto.....beautiful job of keeping the nose up as long as possible.
But...........19 crewmembers? NINETEEN? Hells Bells, we were lucky to have 3 flight attendants on a packed 727-200 at CO.
Jim Oct 26th 2011 6:50AM
Well said! I cut my teeth on those old workhorses. Wonderful airplane and built like a brick Shouse!
anne Oct 25th 2011 6:29PM
Holy Cow! That was incredible! That landing was smooth like butter! Bravo to the pilot! I don't know, but if he ever wanted to get on with a larger and better airline, this video alone is all that needs to be said. Good job!
Debbie Oct 25th 2011 6:32PM
Awesome landing!!!!
Mark Oct 25th 2011 6:32PM
WOW !!!!! What a great job! I flew 727 for 15 years. I could not have done this. Beautiful job :)
jmj Oct 25th 2011 6:56PM
You never know what you can do until you HAVE to.
Marie Oct 25th 2011 7:59PM
Yes, you could have Mark. I can remember a Western Airlines 727 landing in Seattle years ago with out the nose gear, total damage to the plane was 50.00 worth of paint! What a great crew we had, the 727 was the most swept wing aircraft with all the engines on the tails as you know. The pilots transfered the remaining fuel to the outer tanks on the wings and transfered as much weight as they could to the back. The plane was at a complete stop when they set the nose down.
Classicfinisher Oct 25th 2011 8:09PM
Don't underestimate yourself. The pilot that made that landing did prove amazing skill but, after flying a 727 for 15 years, I'm sure you could do it. 112 lives plus your own would be counting on it.
"Kudos" to this pilot that sat that fat bird down !!
David Oct 25th 2011 11:05PM
Just a guess but if I wanted to keep the nose up and I am balancing on the rear landing gear would I not want to shift weight from in front of those wheels to behind them? I wonder if the pilot redistributed the weight to the rear by having the flight attendants move pasengers. Not being a pilot I don't know if this would work but it seems to be simple physics.
Marshall Oct 25th 2011 6:38PM
Yes, it still remains to be one of the most reliable jetliners today .I wish that more
of the stretched 200 series 727s were still flying as passenger planes. They
flew smoothly and efficiently and they always departed on time,right on schedule,
based on my own travels on those jetliners. Pilots did a great ,skillful job landing
that airliner despite the fact the front nose wheel gear doors would not open for
landing.
Sam H Oct 26th 2011 12:01PM
That was a super 'sweet' landing!! Running parallel the runway with the nose up and gradually braking was such an excellant move!! Bravo to the pilot and his cockpit crew!!
Jim Oct 25th 2011 6:45PM
Flawless execution!
Rambo Oct 26th 2011 12:39PM
Very nice touch down. Passengers probably didn't feel a difference. That angle would help facilitate unloading passengers, spray some WD-40 on that stuck lending gear door and get going again. The 727 is a marvel.
theresa gayle Oct 25th 2011 7:45PM
FLAWLESS!!!!! Superb landing, I hope that pilot gets a distinguish award.
T naughton Oct 26th 2011 8:38AM
Absolutely flawless! Incredible!
JohnL Oct 25th 2011 11:00PM
Very nice landing, follow procedures, have an easy touch and presto, now it's up to the mechanics to get it to the hangar and repairs to fly another day.
727s are some tough old birds
Runa Oct 26th 2011 4:26PM
Glorifies upscale call girls. My friend was in Tehran visiting his family and he said that legally Islamic way to have lust with women is to get married. So, the commercial Imams or Mullah get them married and after the lust is over they says 3 times word divorce in front of witness and they are back clean and ready for next men. I have just heard but what is truth is beyond my imagination. Is this the legal prostitution in Iran without any adverse consequences? I want readers not to believe what I heard but can someone verify this information for the truth.
chemimagineer Oct 26th 2011 3:27PM
God makes heroes out of normal men and women in time of great need. Yes, this crew, and particularly the pilot, were blessed to make this happen in such a marvelous way. There was a Family Circle cartoon many years ago that showed the "hand of God" swooping from the heavens to save a little child who was stepping onto a busy city street with oncoming traffic sure to harm the child once he/she left the curb. Could it be that "hand" was again extended on behalf of all on board and their families? I cannot say for sure but the smoothness of it all almost seems unnatural -- as if there was such Divine Intervention as the "hand of God" holding up the body of the aircraft. Yes, you Mark, could have done it with your experience and God on your side.
Chemimagineer