Emirates Boeing 777 Explodes on Dubai Runway After Crash Landing

[Psihala]

An Emirates Boeing 777 with 300 people on board crash landed at Dubai International Airport Wednesday, skidding along a runway and erupting into an intense fire — but the airline said all onboard survived.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/trav...cident-n622046

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

I'd like to know why the landing went wrong, since that seems to have been the cause of the fire (the engine hitting the ground).

Seaboe

[KirkMcD]

I've heard speculation of a landing gear collapse, but I can't find any confirmation.

[UEL]

If all aboard survived, I would like to think that the crew, all of them, were extremely skilled at evacuating that plane. Well done to them.

This is the reason why, despite that I take over 60 flight per year, on average, I pay full attention to the safety briefs when given.

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by UEL

If all aboard survived, I would like to think that the crew, all of them, were extremely skilled at evacuating that plane. Well done to them.

This is the reason why, despite that I take over 60 flight per year, on average, I pay full attention to the safety briefs when given.

I would take at least 50 flights a year, and sometimes more, but I ALWAYS stop and listen to the safety brief as you do UEL. And I make sure Mrs Biggles does the same if she's traveling with me.

Vision from inside the plane shows many of the passengers milling around and collecting their baggage from overhead lockers, even though the cabin is full of smoke and the evacuation has already started.

There is an excellent book called "THE SURVIVORS CLUB" by Ben Sherwood which examines survivor response in a number emergency situations, and what made the difference between life and death. I highly recommend it.

[DrRocket]

Originally Posted by KirkMcD

I've heard speculation of a landing gear collapse, but I can't find any confirmation.

On another aviation forum I hang out on, they're saying that the aircraft had initiated a go-around from low altitude, retracting the gear in the process. Apparently, the plane then settled back down on the runway, tearing an engine off which started a fire on that wing that eventually spread. Wind shear alerts had been posted around the time of the incident.

Looking at the pictures and videos, it's amazing everyone got out alive.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Boeing issued a statement, which boiled down to "we know the plane crashed and we're standing by to help the NTSB investigate." Although, why is the NTSB investigating an accident that occurred in Dubai? Do the international organizations cooperate to that extent?

Seaboe

[jimmy101_again]

Originally Posted by DrRocket

On another aviation forum I hang out on, they're saying that the aircraft had initiated a go-around from low altitude, retracting the gear in the process. Apparently, the plane then settled back down on the runway, tearing an engine off which started a fire on that wing that eventually spread. Wind shear alerts had been posted around the time of the incident.

Looking at the pictures and videos, it's amazing everyone got out alive.

It sure looks like only one gear was retracted. Is it possible to only retract one?

[RichardM]

As to why the NTSB is involved, it is because the aircraft was made in the US. Also, they assist other countries when requested.

[UrbanLegends101]

Originally Posted by jimmy101_again

It sure looks like only one gear was retracted. Is it possible to only retract one?

It might be possible to do that if someone had access to the landing gear control system, but from the cockpit, highly unlikely.

What might have happened, based on the go-around actions coupled with a premature gear retraction is that the aircraft failed to maintain a positive rate of climb, settle back down on the main landing gear and one set of landing gear was slightly slower in retracting, so that when the aircraft weight was back on the main gear, one set of landing gear stayed in the extended and locked position and the other gear was starting to retract and the weight on that side just pushed the gear back up into the fuselage.

From an older B-777 manual:

Retract the landing gear only after a positive rate of climb is established and called by either pilot.

If indeed the gear was retracted early, that decision seems to be part of the chain of events causing the crash. Considering the aircraft would have been light on fuel, at the end of a 4-5 hour light, it would seem there was no need to be in a hurry to retract the gear after an aborted landing, as the aircraft should have had ample power to climb before the pilots needed to worry about the extra drag of the extended landing gear.

On the other hand, the main gear which collapsed might have done so, simply from being overloaded.

I assume we will find out one day, after the investigation is completed.

[BoKu]

Originally Posted by jimmy101_again

It sure looks like only one gear was retracted. Is it possible to only retract one?

I'm pretty sure the high side is being held up by the remaining engine nacelle. As Jimmy_101 points out, the cockpit controls are all or nothing.

I can't wait to see what the FDR reveals about the engine control modes and when the undercarriage was extended and retracted. It's possible (though not likely) that the crew did not extend the undercarriage during the approach, and initiated the go-around when they realized they didn't have any wheels out to land on. But that would be kind of a rookie mistake uncharacteristic of the crew of a major airline.