Iran's Transport Ministry has issued a brief update on the crash of IRAN AIR Flight 277 this past Sunday. The Boeing 727 was on Domestic Service from Tehran to Oromiyeh, Iran, with 93 passengers and 12 crew members onboard, when it went down in heavy snow while on attempting to go-around at Oromiyeh. Of those onboard, 78 people were killed, including all 12 crew members, and 27 were injured, some critically. According to the Transport Ministry, Flight 277 was on ILS approach, within 5 miles from touchdown, when the crew began to go-around. According to the Ministry, the crew gave no reason for the go-around, except to say they were returning to Tehran. About 13 miles SE of the Airport, the aircraft suddenly turned around and headed directly for the Airport. It went down moments later, about 8 miles from the Airport. No other information was released. In direct conflict with that statement, is an unverified report on an aviation webforum. This report says the crew decided to go-around because they could not find visual reference for the runway due to the heavy snow. The Captain said he would attempt a 2nd approach, but if that did not work, then they would return to Tehran. This report says that as the aircraft reached 7200 feet in altitude, the Captain radioed MAYDAY, reporting the loss of engines No.1 and No.3. This report says it is not clear if the Captain radioed that the anti-ice system was on or off at the time of engine failure.
(SK COMMENT: If the Transport Ministry version is correct, then many aviation experts are asking what made the aircraft suddenly turn around and make for the Airport? Technical problems, especially related to icing, has to be considered as a major possiblity. Hijacking has also been mentioned as a possible reason for the sudden turn around, however given the weather at the time of the crash, this has to be considered a remote possiblity).
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