What happened
On 9 January 2022, an Emirates Boeing 777-31H(ER), registration A6-EQA, was preparing for departure from Dubai International Airport (OMDB) to Hyderabad, India. During the taxi phase, the flight crew moved toward runway 30R. While the aircraft was lining up, another Emirates Boeing 777-36N(ER), registration A6-EBY, was crossing the same runway.
As the crew of A6-EQA began their takeoff roll, they reached a ground speed of approximately 125 knots. At this high speed, air traffic controllers noticed the aircraft's movement and issued immediate instructions to stop. The flight crew performed a rejected takeoff, eventually bringing the aircraft to a halt approximately 1,000 meters short of the intended position. No injuries or damage to the aircraft were reported during the incident.
The investigation
The UAE Air Accident Investigation Sector (GCAA AAIS) examined the sequence of events, focusing on the communications between the flight crew and air traffic controllers (AIRS and AIRN). The investigation reviewed flight data recorders, cockpit voice recorders, and airport surface movement radar. Investigators also looked into the operational environment, noting that ongoing maintenance work on taxiway Mike had forced aircraft to use alternative taxi routes, increasing the complexity of the ground movements.
Findings
Several factors contributed to the unauthorized takeoff roll:
- The flight crew mistakenly interpreted a readiness inquiry from the controller as a clearance to take off.
- A subsequent instruction to "line up" was misperceived by the crew as a takeoff clearance.
- The crew was heavily engaged in completing before-takeoff checklists, which prevented them from monitoring radio communications between the controller and the crossing aircraft.
- The flight crew was unaware that aircraft A6-EBY was crossing the active runway due to limited visibility caused by night operations, distance, and construction-related obstructions.
- There was an inconsistency in the airport's manual (DMATS) regarding the requirements for runway inspections following high-speed rejected takeoffs.
Safety action
Following the investigation, several safety recommendations were issued:
- Emirates was advised to review crew resource management (CRM) to better manage task distribution during checklists to maintain situational awareness.
- Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) was recommended to resolve inconsistencies in manual procedures regarding runway inspection policies.
- Dubai Airports was encouraged to conduct a safety case study regarding the implementation of ground-based runway incursion warning systems to provide an additional layer of defense.