Overview
- The Sepehran Airlines flight turned back to Mashhad on Tuesday, Sept. 15, after the crew declared an emergency when a tyre reportedly burst or detached shortly after takeoff.
- Passenger video shows ceiling panels and fittings detaching and overhead bins opening as the jet shook violently, but authorities and the airline say no passengers or crew were injured.
- Flight‑tracking and reporting identify the aircraft as EP‑FSU, a Boeing 737‑300 first flown in 1996, raising questions about age and wear on the airframe.
- Iranian civil aviation officials opened a formal probe to establish the sequence linking the landing‑gear/tyre failure to subsequent engine problems and to assess structural damage to the cabin.
- Analysts note U.S. Treasury sanctions and recent OFAC limits on aircraft licensing issued on Sept. 8 could make legal access to some certified parts and overhaul services harder for Iranian carriers, which may affect long‑term maintenance options.