Wheels up landing?

Information is going to be slow in coming. The UAE is not allowing many journalists to snoop and dig around. And even the knowledgeable people I follow on such matters don't yet have the full picture. There's even a mini-controversy brewing over whether the pilots requested a go around or the tower directed one.

Although all passengers and crew made it out alive, a firefighter died fighting the blaze.

Quote: Nareed

Information is going to be slow in coming. The UAE is not allowing many journalists to snoop and dig around. And even the knowledgeable people I follow on such matters don't yet have the full picture. There's even a mini-controversy brewing over whether the pilots requested a go around or the tower directed one.

Although all passengers and crew made it out alive, a firefighter died fighting the blaze.

Why would the tower direct a go round? Were the landing gear not deployed on the final approach? Early reports mentioned that the tower had to issue a "reminder" to the Emirates plane to deploy their landing gear. How could they tell it wasn't down and locked?

If a plane is coming in so hot and above the glide slope that it is already half way down the runway before it has touched down a controller might suggest a go around but I don't know if a controller can order a missed approach/go around, I think that is solely a crew's decision.

Tower personnel probably did not notice the gear up situation in time.

Fireman may have died from ground accident rather than fire/smoke.

Quote: Ayecarumba

Why would the tower direct a go round?

There are many reasons, ranging from the runway being in use to adverse weather and more. But there are limits, too. At some point a go around is just impossible.

Quote:

Were the landing gear not deployed on the final approach? Early reports mentioned that the tower had to issue a "reminder" to the Emirates plane to deploy their landing gear.

The contradictory reports on that are a dime a dozen. I've read the tower actually reminded or directed the pilots to exit the runway via some specific taxi way, saying nothing about landing gear at all.

Quote:

How could they tell it wasn't down and locked?

By looking. It's not too uncommon to have a faulty gear indicator. When that's the case, the cockpit crew will ask for a low pass so the tower personnel can see whether the gear is down or not. But it's not the tower's job, if not requested, to monitor landing gear.

I wonder whether perhaps the transponder could indicate gear status? But that might just add too much extra work for ATC and the tower...

When the black boxes are examined, we'll know who said what and when, and what the status of the gear was. We should be able to know whether the gear were retraced or never deployed

Still nothing new.

I have to assume the black boxes have been retrieved already, and that the short exposure to fire did not damage them too much (they're designed to withstand such things). But there's been no word about it.

I wonder how well the UAE is set to investigate an accident like this one. I know the US should be involved as the plane's country of manufacture, but how deeply depends on either pre-existing civil aviation treaties (if any, and if they mention this), and/or requests made by the UAE's authorities. The NTSB can, and has, investigated accidents outside the US.

Obviously these people scrambling for their bags aren't thinking about how painful it would be to be burnt alive.

Quote: Pacomartin

Obviously these people scrambling for their bags aren't thinking about how painful it would be to be burnt alive.

I read a comment in the Aviation herald, that FAs commonly think letting passengers take their bags is faster than getting them all to leave their bags behind.

I've gone from exasperation to deep worry. One day some passengers will die inside a burning plane because they were delayed getting their bags.

BTW, most deaths in such cases are due to "smoke inhalation." This is a euphemistic way of saying "scorched mouth, nose and throat, with poisoning and/or asphyxia."

The majority of the passengers were workers from India. I can understand why getting their carry ons was so important to them. It probably contained all of their important papers.

Was there visible flame at this time? The fact that everyone got off the plane and got away before the fireball killed the firefighter indicates that at least several "safe" minutes passed. The "dust" in the air is probably from the landing and the doors getting blown off to trigger the slides, not smoke from something burning.

Who flies with their passport in their carry-on luggage while flying? You should always have it on your person. If the racks are full it can be taken from you even as you enter the plane.

All the ladies. I don't think they have pockets.