Factual Information
On 20 September 2018, at 1038 local time, Saudia Airlines flight SV566, an Airbus A320-214 registered as HZ-AS55, landed at Dubai International Airport after an uneventful flight from Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport. The aircraft carried two flight crewmembers, five cabin crewmembers, and 119 passengers. The departure from Dubai, originally scheduled earlier, was delayed by four hours due to an Engineering Authorization that permitted the aircraft to operate one flight without the left over-wing slide ramp fitted.
History of the Incident
After landing, the aircraft taxied to gate C58. As it turned toward the terminal, two fire-fighting vehicles positioned on either side of the taxiway began spraying water jets in a water salute celebrating Saudi Arabia National Day. The left-side vehicle, FIRE 8, experienced a malfunction of its roof turret; the turret ceased following the operator's hand controller input, causing the high-pressure water jet to spray upward and then downward as the aircraft passed beneath. The water jet struck the left forward over-wing emergency exit hatch, causing it to open inward into the cabin. The hatch fell into the cabin, and the left over-wing emergency slide ramp deployed and inflated.
The flight crew was alerted by the master warning system and stopped the aircraft immediately. They had not been informed of the planned water salute, so they could not brief the cabin crew or passengers beforehand. The aircraft was subsequently towed to the gate with the slide ramp still deployed, and passengers disembarked normally.
One passenger, seated in the window seat adjacent to the hatch, sustained a slight injury from the hatch. The passenger received medical attention and, after being cleared, continued their journey.
Damage to Aircraft and Property
Inspection of the slide ramp approximately one hour after the incident confirmed that the deployment mechanism had activated and the ramp remained inflated as designed. The emergency exit hatch and its attachments were inspected; no damage was found, and the hatch was refitted. The inflated slide ramp was detached from the aircraft. There was no damage to property or the environment.
Personnel Information
The commander held an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) with 6,728 total flight hours, including 405 hours on the Airbus A320. The copilot held a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and had 2,207 total hours, all on the Airbus A320. Both pilots held valid aviation medical licenses.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was an Airbus A320-214 delivered new to the operator in 2017, with 4,977 hours and 3,933 landings at the time of the incident. It was configured with 12 business class and 132 economy class seats. The A320-214 features four type I floor-level emergency exits (doors 1L, 1R, 4L, 4R) and four type III over-wing emergency exit hatches at rows 35 and 36. Opening any type III hatch deploys a slide ramp over the wing's trailing edge. These hatches weigh approximately 15 kg each and are designed to open inward into the cabin by passengers pulling a handle.
Aerodrome Information
Dubai International Airport, certificated by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, is located 4.6 km east of Dubai. The airport rescue and firefighting services comply with Category 10 requirements and ICAO Annex 14.
Organizational and Management Information
The fire-fighting vehicle FIRE 8, a Rosenbauer Panther 8X8, was removed from service after the incident. The vehicle manufacturer inspected and repaired the turret mechanism, identifying that the loss of vertical turret control was caused by a fault in the elevation control potentiometer on the control handle. The potentiometer was replaced, and the turret was re-calibrated before FIRE 8 returned to service. The manufacturer stated no similar turret control problems had been reported previously. The fire vehicle maintenance organization provided records showing no similar turret problems in the preceding 12 months, though technicians noted that similar movements had been observed before and rectified by recalibration.
The request for the water salute originated from Dubai Airports Aviation Business Development and was communicated to the Airport Fire Services Operation Center and the operator's Operations Manager. However, it was not communicated to the flight crew or the ground handling crew awaiting the aircraft at the gate, leading to an unexpected spraying.