Errors by the pilot and the airline's negligence are to blame for a plane crash in a mountainous region of central Iran that killed 66 people last month, according to aviation authorities.
A preliminary report by the Civil Aviation Organization was published on Sunday, shedding some light on the February 18 crash of an ATR-72 twin-engine passenger turboprop operated by Aseman Airlines.
The aircraft, which was flying to the southwestern city of Yasuj, dropped off the radar after taking off from Tehran as a snowstorm battered the Zagros Mountains.
According to excerpts from the report carried by Tasnim News Agency, the pilot, 62, was subject to certain flight restrictions due to an open heart surgery that he had undergone eight years ago.
However, the initial investigation showed that the composition of the flight crew was not in compliance with the requirements set out by the country's authorities, although the pilot and the co-pilot were qualified to fly.
"The pilots did not notice the mountain before the impact as it was covered in clouds, and once they saw it, they attempted to steer the plane to the left to avoid a crash, which proved futile," the report added, stating that some of their operational decisions during the flight were not in line with flight regulations.
***Required Checks
Investigators also noted that the plane had to undergo certain maintenance checks, which could not have been carried out due to US sanctions that have long prevented Iran from buying new aircraft or spare parts from the West.
The Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer had offered a temporary solution to the airline, including special training and amendments to the plane's documents, which had to be confirmed by the Civil Aviation Organization, the report detailed.
However, the alternative solution was never communicated to the organization and had not been implemented before the incident.
Aseman Airlines' fleet of ATR planes has been grounded until further notice.
The report also ruled out that the aircraft had caught fire before it slammed into the mountain.
The plane was in control of the pilots during the course of the flight, and all the systems, including the engines, were functioning properly, the initial findings suggested, dismissing the possibility of technical failure.
Other possible causes are being looked into, and the final report will be issued after the completion of the investigation.
***Turkish Plane
The Zagros range was the scene of another aviation tragedy on Sunday, when a Turkish business jet carrying eight passengers and three crew members crashed into a mountain, killing all on board.
The plane was carrying Mina Basaran, the daughter of a Turkish tycoon, and seven of her friends on their way back to Turkey, the New York Times reported.
Ahmad Mortazavifar, a senior local Red Crescent official, told Tasnim News Agency on Monday that the remains of all those killed have been brought down the valley from the crash site.
The Bombardier Challenger 604 private plane was en route from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates to Istanbul, according to AFP.
Turkey's Transport Ministry said the plane belonged to Basaran Holding, which does business in sectors including construction, food, energy and finance, and is led by Huseyin Basaran.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. But some reports said it could have been caused by an engine fire as villagers near the crash site had seen flames coming from the plane's engine before it went down.
Iran is a popular route for planes flying to the UAE, as its airspace is much safer than that over other countries in the region like Iraq and Syria.
