Aircraft and Flight Details
The incident involved a Boeing 777-36N(ER), registration SU-GDL, operated by Egypt Air as flight MSR 985. The flight departed from Cairo International Airport, Egypt, destined for John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York. The aircraft took off at 01:45 UTC on 21 July 2023. The flight phase was after takeoff, and the operation type was commercial. There were no fatalities or injuries; damage to the aircraft was classified as minor.
Incident Sequence
After takeoff and before the after-takeoff checklist was completed, a bleed leak defect appeared. This led to the loss of bleed air on the left wing, left body, and left pack. The crew performed landing calculations and determined that the aircraft weighed more than 310 tons, requiring fuel jettison. The control tower was informed, and the aircraft was directed to the SOLAM point to hold while conducting several fuel jettison cycles.
While approaching Cairo Airport for return, the control tower informed the crew that a German Airlines aircraft had reported the presence of iron remnants on runway 05C. The aircraft landed safely without further incident.
Post-Flight Inspection
After landing, the crew proceeded to parking position G2 and shut down the engines. A technician was requested to inspect the aircraft. The technician reported a crack under the wing on the fuselage on the left side. The nature and extent of the crack were not detailed in the interim statement.
Investigation Status
The Egyptian Aircraft Accident Investigation Directorate (EAID) is conducting the investigation. Actions taken include photographic records, technical inspection and data collection, readouts of flight data recorder data, and interviews with the flight crew. No recommendations have been issued as of this interim statement. The final report is pending receipt of a report from Boeing.