The Boeing 777-300 aircraft had 282 passengers, mostly Indians, and 18 crew members when it crash-landed at the Dubai global airport on August 3, but there were no casualties among those who were on board while a firefighter was killed.
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The GCAA preliminary report into the Emirates crash of flight EK521 at Dubai International on August 3 points to windshear being a factor as winds changed dramatically in the 90 seconds on final approach.
777 to land, the report from the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority says.
The Dubai carrier’s first significant accident happened shortly after UAE authorities issued a warning about wind shear – a sudden change in wind speed or direction – for all aircraft using the airport, the world’s busiest worldwide hub, the report said.
The report notes that at 0836, the wind direction changed from a headwind of 8 knots to a tailwind which rose to 16 knots and five seconds before touchdown “the wind direction again started to change to a headwind” (0837:12). IAS, followed three seconds later by the left main landing gear. The nose landing gear remained in the air.
A warning system alerted the crew of a “long landing”, indicating that the plane had not touched down where it was supposed to, and the plane took to the air again as the crew tried to make a second landing attempt.
Seconds later, the landing gear lever was selected to the up position and subsequently, the landing gear unlocked and began to retract, it added. Three seconds before impact with the runway, both thrust levers were moved from the idle position to full forward.
Cockpit warnings blared “Don’t sink, don’t sink!” as the engines began to throttle up – but it was too late. The engine nacelles then hit the runway.
As the aircraft slid along the runway, the No. 2 engine-pylon assembly separated from the right hand wing and an intense fuel fire began at the engine-pylon wing attachment area.
All 300 passengers and crew escaped as the aircraft burst into flames, but an airport firefighter was killed when the aircraft’s center fuel tank exploded as he fought the blaze after the aircraft came to a rest.
Apart from the firefighter who died, 21 passengers, one pilot and one cabin crew member sustained minor injuries.
Crew members have been praised for getting all those onboard evacuated safely.
The final report, which will be issued when the investigation is finished, will contain analysis and conclusions to identify the causes, the GCAA said.
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“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”.
