Video: Iranian Pilot Saves 113 Lives, Then Receives Suspension

In what is being hailed as a "miraculous" landing, an experienced pilot successfully landed a Boeing 727 aircraft with 113 people on board after the landing gear in the nose jammed on approach. The crew did not receive a down and locked indication for the nose gear and aborted the approach. Following unsuccessful troubleshooting the crew decided to divert to Tehran's Mehrabad Airport where a low approach confirmed the nose gear was not extended.

Pilot Hooshang Shahbazi managed to keep the nose of the plane tilted upwards as it cruised down the runway before gently setting it down once the plane had lost enough speed, ultimately saving the 94 passengers and 19 crew members on board the flight that originated from Moscow. However, instead of accolades from his superiors, Tehranian officials grounded him for two months pending an investigation.

Authorities, wary of drawing attention to the condition of their aging fleet, have allegedly tried to keep the incident under the radar to avoid international scrutiny despite the heroic outcome. The decision to ground the pilot is clearly not properly justified.

Source: Sympatico News


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