Approach Procedure
A flight arriving from Moscow conducted a night approach to Dubai International Airport. The captain requested a non-standard procedure: switching off the landing gear circuit breaker to allow earlier flap extension prior to gear deployment.
Sequence of Events
During the approach, the flight engineer completed the checklist and mistakenly confirmed that the landing gear was down. However, the crew had forgotten to turn the landing gear circuit breaker back on after the captain's earlier request. The captain continued the approach without verifying the gear position, leading to a belly landing.
Evacuation and Damage
The aircraft slid for several dozen meters before coming to rest. Engine number 2 and 3 caught fire, along with the rear part of the cargo compartment. All 321 occupants were evacuated safely. The aircraft sustained damage beyond repair.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be poor approach configuration by the crew and violation of published standard operating procedures. Lack of crew coordination and poor crew resource management were considered contributing factors.