Incident Overview
On 19 December 2021, an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER (registration A6-EQI) operating scheduled passenger flight EK231 from Dubai International Airport (OMDB) to Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD) experienced a shallow initial climb after takeoff. The aircraft, equipped with two General Electric GE90 engines, carried 372 persons: 4 flight crew, 14 cabin crew, and 354 passengers. No fatalities or injuries were reported, and no damage was found to the aircraft.
Sequence of Events
During cockpit preparation, the commander noticed the altitude selector was set to 0000 feet and adjusted it to 4000 feet, as required by the standard instrument departure (SID) SENPA 2F1. The aircraft lifted off at 23:10:29 UTC, and the landing gear was retracted at 23:10:40. After lift-off, the commander followed the flight director commands, but the aircraft achieved a maximum climb rate of only about 800 feet per minute. As a result, the flight crew could not maintain the published climb gradient of the SID. At 23:11:01, the takeoff/go-around (TOGA) switch was selected, changing the flight mode annunciations to TOGA/TOGA. The flight directors indicated a climb attitude on the commander's primary flight display. A flap 15 overspeed occurred as the airspeed increased toward 250 knots. The flight crew continued to the destination and landed without further incident.
Crew Information
The flight crew comprised four members divided into two sets. For the departure, the commander of set A was the pilot flying, and the copilot was the pilot monitoring. The commander, aged 42, held an Air Transport Pilot License (ATPL) and had accumulated 10,849 total flying hours, with 6,567 hours on the Boeing 777. The copilot, aged 26, also held an ATPL and had 4,644 total hours, including 3,426 hours on type. Both crew members were current in their medical and training requirements.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Boeing 777-300ER, manufacturer serial number 42354, registered as A6-EQI. It was powered by two General Electric GE90 engines. No pre-existing technical issues were reported.
Post-Flight Inspection and Investigation
An inspection at the destination airport revealed no damage to the aircraft. The Air Accident Investigation Sector (AAIS) of the United Arab Emirates classified the occurrence as a serious incident and launched an investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States was notified as the state of design and manufacture. This preliminary report was issued on 16 February 2022, and the investigation was ongoing.