Training - Learning from Crisis

The experience of the crew on Iran Air 743 has lessons for the whole aviation community. The pilot in command displayed exceptional management skills in leveraging the attitude, behaviour, experience and technical skills enabling group decision on the best course of action. The orderly and speedy evacuation without injury to any passenger is an eloquent commentary on the CRM displayed by the cabin crew.

On October 24, 2011, the four-hour flight to Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) from Moscow on Iran Air Flight 743, a Boeing 727-200, with 113 on-board and Captain Hooshang Shabazi in command, was nearing its destination. All was normal with the flight till the aircraft was at 9,000 feet, 25 nautical miles from the runway on approach for a landing when Captain Shabazi, the pilot in command, asked for the gear to be extended. The First Officer complied with the instructions but the undercarriage position lights in the cockpit indicated that while the main landing gear was down and locked, the nose gear warning light remained on, indicative of a problem. With the time available, the crew recycled the gear twice but there was no change in the cockpit indication of the position of the nose gear. Captain Shabazi discontinued the approach and flew at a low height over the airfield. The ATC and maintenance personnel on the ground confirmed his worst fears—the nose landing gear was, in fact, retracted. There was an emergency on hand that Captain Shabazi had never experienced before.

The crew of Iran Air’s 727 carry out simulator training at Kuala Lumpur where emergency drills are practised. However, emergencies considered ‘remote’ such as partial gear-up landings, are practised only once every three years. However, the partial gear-down situations on the simulator cover only the main landing gear. Landing with the nose gear stuck in the retracted position was something Captain Shabazi was not prepared for. Assisting Captain Shabazi were Captain Aghdaie and Flight Engineer Drakhshande. Having established the aircraft in holding pattern over the VOR beacon, the crew went through the emergency checklist and the quick reference manual. Giving one last try at the gear, the crew attempted a gravity-gear extension. The main landing gear extended but the nose gear failed to extend. This was confirmed by Drakhshande through a viewer in the cockpit to check the position of the nose gear.

Handling the Emergency

Captain Shabazi and his crew considered their options. They had to land the aircraft without the nose gear but the question was at which airfield. Landing at IKA was fraught with implications. Although firefighting facilities were available, though rudimentary, as one of the runways at IKA was closed for repairs, a landing there would render the airfield non-operational, affecting the numerous international flights that service Tehran. The alternative was Mehrabad International Airport (MIA) located 18 nautical miles from IKA. This airfield had better firefighting facilities and being the home base for Iran Air had better maintenance facilities to offer. Besides, MIA had two operational runways. This airfield was thus the preferred option for the Captain and his crew.

As the aircraft was maintained in the hold to burn off excess fuel to reduce the impact of fire, thoughts were flashing across the Captain’s mind. What if the aircraft veered out of control on touchdown? What if the aircraft exploded into a fireball on the runway? What if things did not go as planned? Despite these thoughts, Captain Shabazi maintained his cool.

Checklist completed, actions discussed as a part of crew resource management (CRM) and a prayer on his lips, Shabazi exited the hold heading for the feat he was mentally preparing himself for—landing on the 13,248-feet runway with the nose wheel retracted. As the aircraft approached the touchdown point, the passengers and crew braced themselves for the emergency landing. The touchdown on the main wheels was gentle and before losing elevator authority, at about 60 knots indicated airspeed, Captain Shabazi gently lowered the nose of the aircraft on to the runway. With just 60 knots to lose, the nose did not scrape the runway for long. Using differential braking, he maintained the aircraft on the centreline.

As soon as the aircraft came to a stop, the engines were shutdown and evacuation initiated. Within 33 seconds of receiving command from the flight deck, the passengers exited the aircraft without any confusion and no injury to anyone. Fire trucks sprayed foam on the lower portion of the nose of the aircraft that had contacted the runway surface. And then Captain Shabazi saw what he dreaded most, smoke in the cockpit.

Mercifully, there was no fireball as feared but only smoke which was due to the friction of the aircraft skin against the runway. Later inspection of the aircraft revealed that other than damage to a small area of the skin that came in contact with the ground, the airframe was intact. In fact, the aircraft was back on the line in a week after the episode. Captain Shabazi had indeed executed a commendable feat on Iran Air 743.