An Emirates Boeing 777-300, registration A6-EQI performing flight EK-231 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Washington Dulles,DC (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Dubai’s runway 30R when the aircraft rotated for takeoff past the end of the runway and became airborne just at the end of the runway end safety area. The aircraft continued to Washington for a landing without further incident.
The aircraft performed the return flight EK-232 on schedule, then was grounded in Dubai and remained on the ground in Dubai for 4 days.
According to Mode-S data transmitted by the aircraft’s transponder, the aircraft remained on the ground until accelerating through at least 216 knots over the ground about 4400 meters/14400 feet past the runway threshold and about 90 meters short of the localizer antennas, was airborne at 75 feet AGL at 234 knots over ground already over the first residential houses past the runway (5640 meters/18500 feet past the runway threshold), then climbed out to safety.
According to information The Aviation Herald received, the aircraft sustained some damage in the departure. There is also information, that a total of 4 crew members may have been dismissed as result of the occurrence.
On Dec 27th 2021 Emirates Airlines released a crew alert to their pilots following the occurrence suggesting the crew had not picked up the previous flight crew had left the altitude setting at the Master Control Panel at airport elevation/00000 feet causing the flight director to not indicate takeoff rotation and climb out but instead indicate to maintain that altitude (ALT mode). The airline wrote:
Crew Alert
**********
CO1408/21 COMPANY NOTAM – B777 MCP POWER UP DEFAULTS AND AFTER
LANDING/ SHUT DOWN MCP CHANGES
CREWS ARE REMINDED THAT THERE ARE NO FCOM NORMAL PROCEDURE (NP) REQUIREMENTS TO CHANGE THE MCP AFTER LANDING OR SHUTDOWN.
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN THE MCP “ALTITUDE WINDOW” HAS BEEN SET TO THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WHICH MAY CAUSE ISSUES ON THE SUBSEQUENT DEPARTURE. THE FCOM 4.10.2 STATES THAT THE AFDS WILL ENGAGE IN “ALT” WHEN THE FIRST FLIGHT DIRECTOR SWITCH IS TURNED ON, IF THE MCP SELECTED ALTITUDE IS WITHIN 20 FEET OF THE DISPLAYED BARO ALTITUDE. CREWS SHALL NOT SET AIRPORT ELEVATION ON THE MCP AFTER LANDING OR SHUT DOWN.
– FTPB 27DEC21
Metars:
OMDB 200200Z VRB02KT CAVOK 19/15 Q1019 NOSIG=
OMDB 200100Z 18003KT CAVOK 20/15 Q1018 NOSIG=
OMDB 200000Z 18003KT CAVOK 20/15 Q1018 NOSIG=
OMDB 192300Z 18002KT CAVOK 21/15 Q1019 NOSIG=
OMDB 192200Z 18002KT CAVOK 21/14 Q1019 NOSIG=
OMDB 192100Z 12003KT 060V220 CAVOK 22/15 Q1019 NOSIG=
OMDB 192000Z VRB02KT CAVOK 23/14 Q1019 NOSIG=
OMDB 191800Z 36004KT 330V080 CAVOK 25/14 Q1019 NOSIG=
