Emirates B777 gear collapse @ DXB?

[keepitrealok]

BT!

If the captain of an aircraft has an in-flight emergency and decides that an airport is the most appropriate place to go to, he will go there. The airport authorities don't get a say in the matter, even though they may wish he went to the next airport. Subsequent disruption is not a factor in deciding where to go.
Super VC-10 is online now Report Post

Nice rant Super VC-10, but ignorant.

If a jet has a problem that is going to cause problems with the airport - e.g. a Hydraulic leak - then he won't be allowed into OMDB, it'll be sent to OMDW, a 5 min flight away.

Local procedures. You can rant all you like about Captain's authority, if the problem doesn't occur on final, and there is time to plan for it, the jet is going to OMDW.

[ddd]

EK521

Last Update: 2016-08-03 12:57:11 GMT
An Emirates Airlines Boeing 777-300, registration A6-EMW performing flight EK-521 from Thiruvananthapuram (India) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) with 282 passengers and 18 crew, was on final approach to Dubai's runway 12L at 12:41L (08:41Z) but attempted to go around from low height. The aircraft however did not climb, but after retracting the gear touched down on the runway and burst into flames. All occupants evacuated safely, no injuries are being reported. The aircraft burned down completely.

The airline reported: "Emirates can confirm that an incident happened at Dubai International Airport on 3rd August 2016 at about 12.45pm local time."

United Arab Emirates Government confirmed an Emirates aircraft arriving from India suffered a crash landing at Dubai Airport, all passengers have been evacuated, there are no reports of injuries.

According to ATC recordings the aircraft performed a normal approach and landing, there was no priority or emergency declared. Upon contacting tower tower reminded the crew of lowering the gear and cleared the aircraft to land. Another approach reported on tower frequency. About 2 minutes after EK-521 reported on tower, the crew reported going around, tower instructed the aircraft to climb to 4000 feet, the crew acknowledged climbing to 4000 feet, a few seconds later tower instructs the next arrival to go around and alerts emergency services. The position of the aircraft is described near the end of the runway.

Related NOTAM:
A1156/16 - AD CLSD. 03 AUG 11:20 2016 UNTIL 03 AUG 14:00 2016. CREATED: 03 AUG 11:18 2016

A1155/16 - AD CLSD. 03 AUG 10:00 2016 UNTIL 03 AUG 12:00 2016. CREATED: 03 AUG 10:07 2016

Metars (Airport: Dubai, Dubai International Airport):
OMDB 030900Z 11021KT 3000 BLDU NSC 49/07 Q0993 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 35015KT 1500
OMDB 030800Z 14012KT 100V180 6000 NSC 48/09 Q0994 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 35015KT 4000 DU
OMDB 030749Z 14012KT 110V180 6000 NSC 47/09 Q0994 WS ALL RWY TEMPO 35015KT 4000DU
OMDB 030700Z 06007KT 360V100 8000 NSC 44/10 Q0995 NOSIG
OMDB 030600Z 06005KT 350V100 8000 NSC 42/12 Q0995 NOSIG

The last seconds of slide out after failed go-around:


The aircraft erupting into flames (Video: Kazim Abbas):


The wreckage of A6-EMW after fire was extinguished (Photo: dotEmirates):


A6-EMW on fire at Dubai (Photo: Airport WebCams):


Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):

[asdf1234]

Originally Posted by Ranger One

Great idea - until someone's laptop lithium battery goes into runaway and the locking system fails in the 'locked' mode...

So the laptop battery goes awol in an unlocked bin at 38000ft. You still have an overhead bin fire to contend with. Who says the unlocked bin fire will be noticed and acted upon in time?

Locking the bins when the seatbelt sign is on will prevent injuries and potentially save lives throughout periods or turbulence, post landing taxy and emergency evacuations.

Go bang your head a bit more, you seem to enjoy it.

[OntimeexceptACARS]

I know FR24 isn't totally reliable, but there were two aircraft immediately ahead of, and behind the aircraft. No known emergency declared prior to touchdown, and no emergency squawk. So the report of planning for an emergency landing doesn't look right. Unless quickly announced during a short lived windshear event, which I can't see happening, as the crew would be likely fighting the conditions.

This is Emirates' very first hull loss in 31 years of ops.

With respect to the crew and passengers.

[JammedStab]

Originally Posted by flyonthewall

Could it be that on the initial heavy touchdown something came adrift and power was not available from the no:2 engine? That plus a hot day, tailwind and an old straight 300 (not a great performer on a good day), may explain the alleged 'sinking back onto the runway' theory. Pure speculation of course...

All just speculation. But it will be looked into.

Another thing among the many things that will be looked into from a low level go-around is if you press the TOGA switches to go-around but TO/GA is inhibited while on the ground. If you don't manually push the thrust levers forward you are trying to go around with idle thrust. I believe it resulted in an MD-80 crash in Thailand.

Added...

Remember...TOGA is inhibited on the ground. As related to this accident. You heard it here first.

[4runner]

An Emirati and an Aussie. That's like Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover teaming up.

[Sidestick_n_Rudder]

Regarding Wiflex' observation of the events. How about last-second decision change? Eg. The PF decides and commands go around after a hard touchdown. Then he changes his decision, while the other pilot already retracts the gear... This happened before in my company and resulted in a belly landing (fire/major damage though...)

[lomapaseo]

There is some possibility that squat switches might have played a part in the g-around. Perhaps the cockpit procedures might not be what is being presumed by some of the readers here.

[Fortissimo]

No, dsc810. Those with a brain leave their bags behind rather than risk their own and other people's lives while they delay the evac to collect things from the overheads, create trip hazards and hurl heavy bags down slides in case someone needs injuring that way.


Those with even larger brains keep items such as passports, phones and wallets about their person so there is no need for decision and/or delay in the event of an evac.

[sarah737]

This makes me think of a sim exercise my company did after a couple of inadvertent flap retractions. Low altitude go around with PNF retracting flaps iso gear.

[skkm]

First action for G/A in the 777 is Flap 20. The lever is gated so pretty hard to inadvertently take it further than that.

[Wirbelsturm]

If the Go-Around was initiated still whilst airborne and a touchdown occured then the F/D GA mode would still be available with TOGA.

If the GA was initiated after touchdown but before reverse selection then the manoeuvre must be flown manually and the GA mode selected with the TOGA switches once airborne.

It can get loud and messy in that case!

[Cazalet33]

attempted to go around from low height. The aircraft however did not climb, but after retracting the gear touched down on the runway and burst into flames.

Windshear; Tailwind; Temp 49°C; QNH 994; Density altitude 4,620'; Go around; Positive climb; Gear up; R/T call.

Which ingredient was missing in that list?

[Sailvi767]

Originally Posted by sarah737

This makes me think of a sim exercise my company did after a couple of inadvertent flap retractions. Low altitude go around with PNF retracting flaps iso gear.

On the 777 in a go around you retract the flaps before the gear. The go around flap position is gated at 20 so virtually impossible to screw it up.

[Sailvi767]

Originally Posted by keepitrealok

Nice rant Super VC-10, but ignorant.

If a jet has a problem that is going to cause problems with the airport - e.g. a Hydraulic leak - then he won't be allowed into OMDB, it'll be sent to OMDW, a 5 min flight away.

Local procedures. You can rant all you like about Captain's authority, if the problem doesn't occur on final, and there is time to plan for it, the jet is going to OMDW.

I am curious, everyone seems to hint that Emirites management rules the airport and airline with a iron fist. The airport consistently reported a tailwind in excess of the normal 10 knot limit both before and after the landing. If a pilot refused to land with that wind report and demanded a landing into the traffic flow would that request be honored and would he face any action from management for the delays that might cause at the airport?

[Flightmech]

Looks like DXB is open again.

[Keg]

Originally Posted by Ian W

So if a 'good decision' is made and because of that decision a number of pax are injured and some die, whereas had that action not been taken all would have survived uninjured. You would still defend the decision as a good one? Interesting logic.

Let's use the SQ example. The risk of an explosion if staying? Considerable but in reality quite unknown given the wing was on fire. The risk of death in staying? Considerable but in reality quite unknown given the wing was on fire. The risk of injuring someone by evacuating? Likely. The risk of someone dying by evacuating? Very low. Personally I'd take the known low risk of some injuries by evacuating than the Unknown risk of catastrophic injuries and death by staying. If they'd evacuated after using an appropriate decision making process and injured people I would have found it reasonable and defended their decision.

I'll say it again though for the avoidance of doubt. A good outcome doesn't mean that a good decision was made. Perhaps they made no decision and were simply lucky.

The word decision implies that there are alternative courses of action. Those who claim 'this is a no-brainer' are effectively saying there is no 'decision' it is an automatic action. Easier to automate out flight crew when everything is 'no brainer' - like maintain pitch and power (another no brainer action proposed in other threads).

Was this an attempt to verbal me? I never claimed it was a no brainer. Others may have but you imply that I have. Even a 'no brainer' decision is only a good one if it went through an appropriate decision making process. I'd contend that there is always a decision to be made. Sometimes through lack of planning, foresight, experience or even information people can still make a bad one.

[MLHeliwrench]

Different outcome with gear down?

Would it have overrun the runway and had a more deadly outcome with the gear down? Or is it just sand off the end?

[whitelighter]

What sort of damage would this have done to the runway surface?
Surely going to impact on DXB operations in the short term?

[Julio747]

Sop

Originally Posted by ACMS

Changing the Aircraft configuration during a Windshear escape Manoeuvre??? I hope not

That is what I was thinking. WS escape does not call for wheels up!