Sterling Airways Flight 901, a Sud Aviation Caravelle aircraft, was operating in Iran and was involved in a critical incident upon landing at Mehrabad International Airport. As the aircraft approached the runway for touchdown, a failure in the landing gear caused a collapse, which subsequently resulted in a significant fire engulfing the plane. The unfortunate mishap unfolded with a number of passengers and crew onboard, leading to immediate emergency responses by airport firefighting services. The efforts, however, were unable to prevent the loss of fifteen individuals, encompassing both passengers and crew members, amidst the chaos of the incident.

The crash raised serious concerns about aircraft safety protocols and the need for stringent inspections on landing gear systems. It also highlighted a potential oversight in the maintenance practices for older aircraft models, such as the Caravelle, which had already been in service for several years. Investigators, following the tragedy, initiated a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the landing gear failure, which included assessing the mechanical integrity of the aircraft, as well as reviewing the procedures followed by the flight crew during the landing phase. This scrutiny was part of a larger trend in aviation at the time, focusing particularly on improving safety measures and addressing the risks of aging fleets.

The aftermath saw renewed calls for regulatory changes within the airline industry to bolster safety protocols further. Given the strife of the early 1970s in the aviation sector regarding accidents and incidents, this particular event contributed to discussions on enhancing passenger safety, leading to a deeper insight into the mechanisms that govern air travel operations.