Boeing 787-800 Speed Limit Indicator Malfunction at Warsaw Chopin Airport

Casualties unknown • Warszawa (EPWA), PL

A Boeing 787-800 crew was forced to return to their departure airport following a technical issue involving a speed limit warning indicator.

What happened

On July 1, 2016, a Boeing 787-800 operating out of Warsaw Chopin Airport (EPWA) encountered a technical malfunction during flight. The flight crew reported an issue regarding the speed limit indicator, which was displaying an error while the landing gear was extended. Due to this technical discrepancy, the crew decided to abort the flight and return to the departure airfield.

Prior to landing, the aircraft performed a fuel jettison to reach a safe landing weight. The aircraft subsequently completed a landing maneuver and arrived safely at the airport.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the cause of the erroneous speed limit warning appearing during the landing gear extension phase. The investigation established that the warning was triggered by the specific position of a cockpit switch.

Findings

  • The primary cause of the incident was the position of the speed limit warning switch, which had been set to "GEAR DOWN."
  • The technical issue resolved itself once the crew moved the switch back to the "NORM" position.

Probable cause

The speed limit warning indicator malfunction was caused by the warning switch being manually set to the 'GEAR DOWN' position rather than the normal position.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2016-07-01 BOEING, 787-800 accident near Warszawa (EPWA), PL?

A Boeing 787-800 crew was forced to return to their departure airport following a technical issue involving a speed limit warning indicator.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2016-07-01 involved a BOEING, 787-800, at Warszawa (EPWA), PL.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The speed limit warning indicator malfunction was caused by the warning switch being manually set to the 'GEAR DOWN' position rather than the normal position.

Investigation report by the Polish State Commission on Aircraft Accidents Investigation (PKBWL). Original record: https://pkbwl.gov.pl/raporty/2016-1520/. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the Panstwowa Komisja Badania Wypadkow Lotniczych (PKBWL), Poland.

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