Wing Strike Led To Fire

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 09.01.06 1400 EDT: We're learning more of the circumstances that led an Iran Air Tour Tupolev Tu-154 to catch fire after landing earlier today in the northeastern Iran city of Mashhad.

The aircraft, carrying 148 people, slid of the runway and its left wing impacted the ground, according to Nourollah Rezai Niaraki, chairman of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization. Niaraki made his comments on state television, reports the Associated Press.

Earlier reports that the plane suffered a burst landing gear tire could not be confirmed -- only that the plane skidded off the runway.

Fortunately, there does appear to be some better news... as earlier reports of as many as 80 deaths from the accident have been revised down, with current reports of 29 passengers killed in the accident.

Original Report

One day after a US Airways 737-400 experienced a landing gear fire while landing in Miami, it appears an Iranian airliner flying from the southern port city of Bandar Abbas may have suffered a similar accident while landing in Mashhad Friday.

State television reports as many as 80 passengers were killed in the Iranian accident, however, out of a reported 147 passengers onboard.

The type of plane is not known for certain, other than it is a Russian-made Tupolev. Unconfirmed reports state it is a Tupelov Tu-154M, flying for Iran Air Tours.

Stay tuned to ANN as we follow this developing story.

FMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-154