A preliminary investigation report by the UAE’s federal aviation authority into last month’s Emirates Boeing 777-31H accident with 300 people on board said the pilot attempted to abort the landing after the wheels had already touched down.
The passenger jet then lifted off again for a “go-around” but within seconds lost altitude and then impacted the runway as the wheels were retracting back into the undercarriage of the fuselage, said the report on the August 3 accident.
Despite the plane catching fire as it slid on its belly along Runway 12L at Dubai International Airport, 282 passengers and 18 crew aboard flight EK521 from Thiruvananthapuram, India were evacuated safely.
The report dated September 5 by the GCAA (General Civil Aviation Authority) said early investigation revealed there were wind changes in the moments of final approach before the plane impacted the runway. “Approach controller and the WM [watch manager] remarked on these wind conditions as being strange,” the report stated.
Flight environment
“During the landing and attempted go-around, the aircraft was in a rapidly changing and dynamic flight environment. The initial touchdown and transition of the aircraft from air to ground mode, followed by the lift-off and the changes in the aircraft configuration in the attempted go-around, involved operational modes, logics and inhibits of a number of systems, including the autothrottle, the air/ground system, the weather radar, and the GPWS. The characteristics of these systems, and others, will be examined during the course of the investigation.”
According to the report, the 34-year-old commander flying the plane was an experienced pilot with almost 7,500 flying hours in total and more than 5,000 flying hours on the Boeing 777 aircraft type involved in the incident.
“Post-accident blood tests did not reveal psychoactive materials that could have degraded the crew performance,” the report said.
The GCAA report confirmed that “21 passengers, one flight crewmember, and one cabin crewmember sustained minor injuries, and a second cabin crewmember sustained a serious injury. Approximately nine minutes after the aircraft came to rest, a firefighter was fatally injured as a result of the explosion of the centre fuel tank.”
The initial report stems from the formation of a team by the GCAA assisted by Emirates, Boeing and engine maker Rolls Royce.
In its initial report in a full investigation expected to take from three to five months, the report stated that after the aborted landing, the “aircraft reached a maximum height of approximately 85 feet RA at 134 knots IAS, with the landing gear in transit to the retracted position. The aircraft then began to sink back onto the runway. Both crewmembers recalled seeing the IAS decreasing and the Copilot called out ‘Check speed’. At 0837:35, three seconds before impact with the runway, both thrust levers were moved from the idle position to full forward. The autothrottle transitioned from idle to thrust mode.
Approximately one second later, a ground proximity warning system (GPWS) aural warning of ‘Don’t sink, don’t sink’ was annunciated,” the report said.
“One second before impact, both engines started to respond to the thrust lever movement showing an increase in related parameters.
At 0837:38, the aircraft aft fuselage impacted the runway abeam the November 7 intersection at 125 knots, with a nose-up pitch angle of 9.5 degrees, and at a rate of descent of 900 feet per minute. This was followed by the impact of the engines on the runway. The three landing gears were still in transit to the retracted position.”
The accident marks the first time in Emirates’ 31-year history that the airline suffered irreparable damage to one of its aircraft.
Emirates welcomes report
In a statement to Gulf News on Tuesday, Emirates said it “welcomes the publication of the preliminary report by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Civil Aviation Authority Air Accident Investigations Sector (GCAA- AAIS) on the accident involving flight EK521 on 3 August 2016. As this is a Preliminary Report based on the facts gathered so far during the on-going investigation, it does not cover causes of the accident nor does it make final safety recommendations. We will review the report carefully.”
A spokesperson said: “Emirates is also conducting its own rigorous internal investigation to proactively review what we know about the accident, and consider measures that may enhance our operations or procedures. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the investigating authorities for their continued commitment to the investigation of this accident. Emirates will continue to extend our full co-operation as they work towards the Final Report.”
Report highlights
* After the aircraft came to rest, fire was emanating from the No. 2 engine, the damaged RH engine-pylon wing attachment area and from under the aircraft fuselage. Approximately one minute after, the commander transmitted a “Mayday” call and informed air traffic control that the aircraft was being evacuated.
* Apart from the Commander and the senior cabin crewmember, who both jumped from the L1 door onto the detached slide, crewmembers and passengers evacuated the aircraft using the escape slides.
When the aircraft impacted and slid along the runway, passengers started to unfasten their seatbelts and stand up. An announcement was made for the passengers to remain seated. When the Aircraft came to rest, some passengers were screaming, grabbing their belongings, and asking the cabin crewmembers to open the doors. The cabin crewmembers followed the operator’s safety instructions that prohibit passengers taking their carry-on baggage during an evacuation, and they instructed the passengers to leave their bags behind. However, several passengers evacuated the aircraft carrying their baggage. Footage of the evacuation showed a number of passengers outside the aircraft with their baggage.
* The Commander and senior cabin crewmember were last to exit the aircraft.
* The plane was totally destroyed
* The plane damaged 12 aerodrome lights and seven signs which required replacement as follows:
Source: GCAA Accident Preliminary Report
