Haven't seen anyone (or the media) report this one yet so thought I'd pipe up. This evening on departure from Melbourne, EK407 (a345) experienced a tailstrike. It proceeded to dump fuel before the cabin begun to fill with smoke, at which point a full emergency was called and the flight came back in to 16 for an overweight landing. The landing was hard and long and caused severe damage to the undercarriage (although the aircraft was still able to taxi to stand). All onboard were ok.
I'd imagine the aircraft will be sitting somewhere at ML for a while now...
And to add to what you said, i also hear it took out lights at the end of the runway as well.
I managed to get over and have a look at the aircraft which is now parked back at the gate. The damage stretches from fwd of the waste service panel which is missing; right back past the rear pressure bulkhead. $$$$
I really feel for the crew, im guessing if the captains an expat he probably wont be in a hurry to go to back to Dubai
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Would have scared the crap out of the punters up the back and new jocks no doubt required for the tech crew.
Good pics which shows the fuselage damage well all things considered.
Area thoroughly taped up now and aircraft moved to the southern freight apron (bay G6) but it won't last long there with freighter movements and day stop aircraft parking requirements.
Guess it will be around for quite a while while repairs are effected, but by who we will have to wait and see.
Let the speculation begin.
I think this should be moved to rumours and news somehow.
There would have been 4 of them in the flight deck.
I would think all 4 stood down immediately and paxed back to DXB.
The 2 support pilots will probably be ok as there is stuff all they could have done to prevent it in such a dynamic situation. Plus may not have been able to see the maltese cross etc etc.
As for the 2 guys in the hot seats - I guess they'll have to wait for the QAR data and EK will take it from there in their usual inimitable style.
I'm curious to hear it took out runway end lights - if that's true - shades of Joburg.
I guess Emirates has a big advertising budget, how else can you explain the lack of any media interest. Throws into relief what was happening not so long ago to QF, when even a technical delay was enough to generate a "troubled airline" headline. I hope the crew are treated fairly though.
Smoke in cockpit and very overweight, any chance vision was impaired, stress levels very high? I think before we crucify anybody and start making racial slurs simply because the Aircraft was from the Emirates we wait and see the outcome of the investigation which will be, as we all know on the Australian Transport Safety Bureau site once it's done, or maybe Emirates advertising budget will "cover that up", or Management will "sweep it under the table", please, enough conspiracy theories.
Taking about mosques and infidels... how bl*@dy childish !
Couch potatoes coaching the game instead of being happy it got down safely.
Hard to see from the first picture, but I think the damage may stretch over the rear pressure bulkhead which would mean a very expensive repair- removal of fin and complete rear fusleage aft of the bulkhead and bulkhead replacement. A lot of reskinning and frame replacement- this one will be horrific.
I very much doubt whether anybody actually felt the scrape. The smoke in the cabin is interesting- where did that come from?
Quote:
The landing was hard and long and caused severe damage to the undercarriage (although the aircraft was still able to taxi to stand).
This doesn't compute! Sounds all round one where you wish you'd stayed in bed!
Accident: Emirates A345 at Melbourne on Mar 20th 2009, tail strike on takeoff
By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Mar 20th 2009 23:11Z, last updated Friday, Mar 20th 2009 23:11ZAn Emirates Airlines Airbus A340-500, registration A6-ERG performing flight EK-407 from Melbourne,VI (Australia) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) with 225 people on board, experienced a tail strike on takeoff from Melbourne. The airplane climbed out safely, went to dump fuel but returned for an immediate emergency landing when smoke started to fill the cabin. The airplane landed heavily on Melbourne's runway 16, no injuries occured.
Severe abrazions occured to the tail skin and several access panels were ripped off during the tailstrike, the landing reportedly caused additional damage to the gear.
The Melbourne Airport confirmed, that several runway end lights were damaged in the accident, too, and needed to be replaced.
I was at the lookout point watching the whole thing including the emergency services racing around...
The old man happen to be on the other side at the airport and drove home one of the passengers who told him the whole story.
Tail struck the tarmac on take off, luggage underneath 'moved' causing concern to the pilots, dumped fuel over port phillip bay/ocean, smoke started filling the cabin, returned to YMML.
Landing was certainly very long. Touchdown was well down 34 and far from the threshold, though it did appear to be a soft landing (not hard as previously commented). Reverse thrust was engaged quickly, which was needed to stop the aircraft on the tarmac instead of the Bulla carpark.
There were about 8 emergency vehicles on the tarmac and once the flight came to a complete stop at the end of 34, flood lights lit up the aircraft checking for any catastrophic failures preventing it from taxing back to the gate.
Aircraft was escorted to the terminal and passengers disembarked normally. A couple of domestic Qantas flights inbound were slightly delayed on 27 for a couple of minutes.
Slightly off topic question, where do they dump fuel in places that are land-locked and surrounded by large cities, surely this happens in the US or Europe? Australia seems pretty lucky to have all that water near our capital cities.
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