What happened
On 14 September 2013, an Air Ukraine International Boeing 737-800, registration UR-SDA, arrived at Dubai International Airport from Kiev, Ukraine. The flight's difficulties began during takeoff from Boryspil International Airport, where the crew noted damage to a tire but could not pinpoint which specific wheel was affected.
Upon landing on runway 12L in Dubai, both port main landing gear tires disintegrated. The resulting vibration and loss of structural integrity caused the aircraft to drift. The plane eventually came to a halt at high-speed exit Mike 09, where it became disabled. The destruction of the left main gear tires was so severe that the aircraft was resting on its wheel rims. The position of the aircraft blocked the runway, with the nose gear on the taxiway centerline and the tail overhanging runway 12L.
The investigation
The GCAA AAIS investigation focused on the events leading to the tire burst and the reasons behind the extended runway closure. Investigators examined the recovery efforts, noting that the Airside Operations Duty Manager (ODMA) summoned a recovery service provider to clear the obstruction.
During the recovery process, the team initially struggled to jack the aircraft to replace the damaged tires. The aircraft had to be moved forward on the taxiway, and the team eventually succeeded in jacking the left side only after using bedding platforms. The process of moving the aircraft to a maintenance stand for repairs took approximately 10 hours.
Findings
- The prolonged runway closure was primarily caused by the destruction of the two port main landing gear tires, an inadequate disabled aircraft recovery plan, and insufficient training and decision-making by the recovery team and the ODMA.
- A lack of cockpit tire pressure indications prevented the crew from identifying which tire had been damaged during takeoff, which would have allowed for a more controlled landing technique.
- Ineffective communication networks existed between the departure airport, the airline's operations and maintenance control centers, and the aircraft.
- The investigation also noted that the decision to continue the flight to Dubai despite the unidentified tire damage contributed to the severity of the landing incident.