Photo: Diy13 / iStock / Getty Images
A Sepehran Airlines Boeing 737 experienced a terrifying mechanical failure Tuesday (September 15) when violent shaking caused cabin ceiling panels to collapse onto passengers during an emergency return to Mashhad, Iran. All passengers and crew evacuated safely, with no reported injuries.
The domestic flight departed Mashhad Hashemi Nejad International Airport bound for Kermanshah International Airport when a tire reportedly burst from the landing gear shortly after takeoff, according to Simple Flying. The tire failure caused engine damage and severe vibrations that shook the aircraft violently, prompting the captain to declare an emergency and immediately return to Mashhad.
Dramatic video footage captured from inside the cabin shows the Boeing 737 shaking violently as it approached the runway. Passengers can be heard screaming and praying as sections of the overhead compartments and ceiling panels detached and fell onto people below, exposing the aircraft's internal structure. Despite the chaos, the pilots successfully landed the plane and all passengers were able to disembark safely.
The severe vibrations damaged parts of the cabin ceiling and overhead compartments during the emergency landing sequence. Passengers' belongings fell from the bins, with some items hitting people inside the aircraft.
Mashhad Airport temporarily closed the runway for assessment before reopening hours later. Passengers were eventually transferred to another flight to complete their journey to Kermanshah. The Iran Civil Aviation Organization has opened an investigation into the incident.
The ceiling panel collapse was likely caused by severe mechanical vibrations loosening fasteners as the damaged aircraft landed, causing the lightweight decorative plastic trim to detach and fall onto unsuspecting passengers.
This incident marks the second recent emergency involving Sepehran Airlines at Mashhad airport. On August 25, another Sepehran Boeing 737-500 carrying 127 passengers veered off the runway after landing, stopping with its nose landing gear collapsed. No one was injured in that incident, which also prompted a Civil Aviation Organization investigation.
Sepehran Airlines, founded in 2016 and based in Mashhad, operates a fleet of 13 aircraft with an average age exceeding 30 years. The carrier's aging Boeing 737-300 and 737-500 aircraft face significant maintenance challenges due to international sanctions on Iran, which restrict access to airplane parts and complicate ongoing maintenance efforts. Despite these operational difficulties, Sepehran has never recorded a fatal incident, though recent mechanical problems have raised safety concerns.