Emirates B773 at Dubai on Jan 9th 2022, rejected takeoff without clearance due to crossing aircraft

Last Update: March 1, 2024 / 18:17:14 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Emirates Airlines A6-EQA, Boeing 777-300 — Emirates Airlines A6-EQA, Boeing 777-300 (Photo credit: Anna Zvereva / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 9, 2022

Classification
Incident

Airline
Emirates Airlines

Flight number
EK-524

Departure
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Destination
Hyderabad, India

Aircraft Registration
A6-EQA

Aircraft Type
Boeing 777-300

ICAO Type Designator
B773

An Emirates Boeing 777-300, registration A6-EQA performing flight EK-524 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Hyderabad (India) with 173 passengers and 14 crew, was accelerating for takeoff from Dubai's runway 30R when the crew was instructed to reject takeoff at high speed (above 100 knots over ground) due to a crossing aircraft. The aircraft slowed safely and vacated the runway via taxiway N4 behind the aircraft, that had crossed the runway.

An Emirates Boeing 777-300, registration A6-EBY performing flight EK-568 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Bangalore (India) with 294 passengers and 17 crew, was taxiing for departure and was cleared to cross runway 30R from taxiway M5A to N4 and was entering the runway just when EK-524 began the takeoff roll.

According to information The Aviation Herald received from two independent sources, EK-524 began their takeoff roll without ATC clearance. Tower subsequently instructed EK-524 to stop. According to information EK-524 may have reached 130 KIAS when they rejected takeoff. According to ADS-B data transmitted by the aircraft's transponder EK-524 had reached 100 knots over ground about 790 meters/2600 feet down the runway and about 1700 meters/5700 feet short of taxiway N4.

EK-568 continued taxi and departed normally. EK-524 taxied back the holding point of runway 30R and departed about 30 minutes after the rejected takeoff.

On Jan 13th 2022 the airline reported, that EK-524 was instructed by tower to abort takeoff on Jan 9th 2022, the crew rejected takeoff successfully. There was no damage to the aircraft and there were no injuries. An internal investigation has been initiated, UAE's GCAA also opened an investigation.

United Arab Emirates' GCAA released their final report concluding the probable causes of the serious incident were:

The Air Accident Investigation Sector determines that the causes of EK524 flight crew to commence a take-off roll without clearance were:

(a) When AIRS enquired the flight crew for readiness for departure, the crew perceived that as a clearance for takeoff from runway 30R.

(b) When the flight crew switched the radio frequency to AIRN, they were granted a “clearance to line up” which was mistakenly perceived as “take-off clearance”.

(c) The flight crew were in assumption that takeoff clearance was given and they did not expect the crossing of EK568 on the active runway as it was not communicated or warned by ARIN to the EK524 crew.

(d) The visibility of flight crew for the crossing aircraft was hindered by the long distance between the EK524 position and holding point Mike 5, the ongoing work, and night time.

(e) The flight crew carried out a rolling takeoff and did not stop after lining up on runway 30R assuming that clearance to takeoff was given.

(f) The flight crew did not monitor the communication between AIRN and the aircraft crossing runway 30R as they were engaged in accomplishing the before takeoff checklist.

The GCAA summarized the sequence of events:

... at 1800:07, the stop bar lights went off and EK524 Aircraft commenced movement.

At 1800:14, AIRS controller instructed the crew to hold position and the stop bar lights turned red, but there was no response by the crew. The Commander stated that at the moment they received the instruction to hold position, the stop bar lights were off, and thereafter he attempted to stop the Aircraft. He thought the nose of the Aircraft passed the stop bar whereas the nose landing gear was still behind when the Aircraft stopped.

At 1800:19, AIRS controller repeated the instruction to hold position and the crew confirmed.

At 1800:26, AIRS controller advised the crew that the stop bars were off then turned on after 60 seconds, as default. The crew replied that the stop bar lights were on and they called AIRS controller to switch them off in order to move, and AIRS controller switched it off accordingly. The crew stated to AIRS controller that stop bar lights were switched on after the Aircraft had stopped based on the second instruction to hold position.

At 1800:58, AIRS controller cleared the Aircraft to cross runway 30L behind the landing of Algeria Airbus 330 aircraft, and the flight crew read back the clearance correctly. The flight crew emphasized that they were still behind the stop bar. AIRS controller confirmed that he was monitoring the Aircraft on the surface movement radar and mentioned that he thinks it was a fault in their system.

At 1802:16, AIRS asked the flight crew if they are ready for departure, and the flight crew confirmed that. AIRS controller then cleared the Aircraft to taxi to holding point Mike 15A, and the flight crew read back the clearance correctly.

At 1802:37, AIRS controller requested the flight crew to contact Air North controller (AIRN) on frequency 118.75 MHz.

At 1802:46, the Commander contacted AIRN controller who instructed the crew to line up with runway 30R by stating “Emirates five two four line up runway 30 right.”, and the Commander read back “Line up runway 30 right Emirates five two four.”

The Commander, as the PM, turned on the landing light as per the SOP action. The airport surface movement radar showed the EK524 Aircraft crossed holding point Mike 15A and continued lining up on the runway at 1803:08.

At 18:03:35, the crew of the other aircraft (EK568) called AIRN reporting “Dubai tower good evening emirates five six eight heavy holding short runway three zero right mike five alpha.” AIRN instructed the crew by stating “Emirates five six eight good evening mike five alpha cross runway three zero right expedite after crossing right november holding point november niner.” The crew read back the AIRN controller instructions and commenced to cross runway 30R.

At 18:03:43 UTC, EK524 has lined up and the ground speed was indicating 11 knots based on the ground movement radar (GMR).

At 1804:04, while the Aircraft was accelerating at 97 knots ground speed, AIRN noticed its roll and immediately instructed the flight crew to hold position, but the flight crew did not respond.

At 1804:10, AIRN repeated the instruction to the flight crew to stop immediately, and the flight crew did not acknowledge the instructions, but they started to stop the Aircraft. The Aircraft stopped at a position abeam taxiway Mike 9 at 1804:26, which was 1,000 meters short of Mike 5A, after reaching a maximum ground speed of 125 knots. After the Aircraft came to rest, AIRN contacted the crew to emphasize that they were not cleared for takeoff.

At 1806:23, AIRN controller handover commenced which contained the pertinent information on the traffic information but not on the rejected takeoff in specific.

At 1807:06, the Aircraft exited the runway as per AIRN instructions via November 4 to taxiway Papa.

AIRN controller handover was completed at 1807:12.

At 1810:33, Ground Movement Planner contacted the Airside Operations and requested a runway inspection on runway 30R after clearing, which was completed at 1819:13.

The Aircraft remained on the taxiway for 15 minutes for the crew to evaluate the occurrence with the maintenance control center before reporting ready for taxi.

Thereafter, the crew were cleared to taxi for departure in sequence and subsequently the Aircraft departed at 1834:15.