What happened
On 20 September 2018, a Saudia Airlines Airbus A320, registration HZ-AS55, landed at Dubai International Airport following a flight from Jeddah. As the aircraft taxied toward gate C58, airport fire services attempted a water salute to celebrate Saudi Arabian National Day. During this maneuver, a fire-fighting vehicle, identified as FIRE 8, experienced a mechanical failure in its roof turret.
The malfunction caused a high-pressure water jet to spray erratically. The force of the water struck the left forward over-wing emergency exit hatch, pushing the push panel inward. This caused the hatch to fall into the cabin, which subsequently triggered the automatic deployment of the left over-wing slide ramp. The sudden opening of the hatch caused minor injuries to a passenger seated in the adjacent window seat. The flight crew, unaware that a water salute was taking place, immediately halted the aircraft and shut down the engines upon receiving a master warning.
The investigation
An investigation by the GCAA AAIS focused on the mechanical failure of the fire vehicle and the communication breakdown regarding the ceremonial event. Investigators examined the Rosenbauer Panther 8X8 fire truck and found that a faulty elevation control potentiometer on the hand controller prevented the operator from controlling the turret's movement.
Furthermore, the investigation looked into the coordination of the water salute. It was established that while the request for the salute originated from airport business development, the information was not relayed to the flight crew or the ground handling staff. This lack of notice meant the crew could not alert the cabin crew or passengers to the impending water spray.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the erratic movement of the water jet hitting the emergency exit hatch.
- A faulty potentiometer in the fire vehicle's hand controller caused the turret to become uncontrollable.
- There was a significant failure in communication, as the flight crew was not notified of the planned water salute.
- The aircraft's emergency exit design, which allows the hatch to be pushed inward, made it vulnerable to the external force of the water jet.
- The water salute process lacked a formal risk assessment or standardized safety procedures.
Safety action
To prevent similar occurrences, the investigation issued recommendations for UAE aerodromes to implement formal risk assessments and documented procedures for conducting water salutes. Additionally, it was recommended that airport fire services introduce routine "dry" turret checks to ensure all control mechanisms are functioning correctly before any water or foam is deployed.