Ceiling comes loose mid-air on Iranian 737 after tyre and engine trouble

An Iranian Boeing 737 experienced mid-air cabin ceiling detachment and reported an engine issue, leading to an emergency return to Mashhad on September 15th. The Sepehran Airlines flight, bound for Kermanshah, took off at around 17:30 local time. Footage showed a section of the cabin ceiling hanging loose above passengers as the aircraft circled back.

The tread of one tyre separated during take-off, but did not burst. The pilot alerted the control tower about an engine problem before safely landing at Mashhad’s Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport. All passengers disembarked unharmed and were transferred to a replacement flight. The runway was temporarily closed and has since reopened.

The Civil Aviation Organisation of Iran is currently investigating the cause. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-300, originally flown in July 1996. Sepehran Airlines has faced multiple issues this year, with another 737-500 running off the runway at Mashhad in August. Iranian airlines often rely on older aircraft due to sanctions limiting access to new planes and spare parts.

In December 2021, an Iranian airline association official reported that over half of the country’s civilian fleet was grounded for lack of parts. The US Treasury recently sanctioned Sepehran and other Iranian airlines for their alleged use of aviation to transport weapons and personnel.