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The Australian Transportation Safety Board have released their preliminary factual report stating, that the tail of the airplane struck the ground past the end of the runway. The crew subsequently noticed, that the aircraft weight entered into the laptop for takeoff computations was 100 tonnes less than the actual takeoff weight.

The first officer was pilot flying for the leg, the captain was pilot monitoring for the reduced power takeoff. During the takeoff run on runway 16 the captain called rotate, the first officer attempted to rotate the aircraft, which however did not respond. The captain called again “rotate”, the first officer applied more backpressure resulting in the nose lifting and the tail struck the runway surface, but the airplane did not begin to climb. The captain applied maximum thrust and the airplane eventually commenced a climb. “During the take-off, the aircraft’s tail contacted the ground beyond the end of the runway and a number of airport landing aids came into contact with the aircraft.”

The tailstrike indication illuminated in the cockpit, so that the crew requested to return to Melbourne. The airplane climbed to 7000 feet and dumped fuel over Port Philip Bay for 36 minutes. While reviewing the documentation for landing computations the crew noticed, that they had entered a weight into the laptop for takeoff computations which was 100 tonnes less than the actual takeoff weight. The wrong weight had been used to compute the takeoff performance resulting in lower engine thrust settings and lower takeoff speeds than required.

After the fuel dump was completed and the flight crew was configuring the airplane for the landing, the cabin crew reported smoke in the cabin. The crew requested an immediate landing. The airplane landed safely 9 minutes after the smoke report, rolled to the runway end and was examined by emergency services, who established no imminent danger. The airplane was able to taxi to the gate, where passengers disembarked normally.

The aircraft received abrasions at the rear lower fuselage skin, a dislodged service panel, several deformations of fuselage frames and stringers, several of which contained cracks, and cracks and deformation of the rear pressure bulkhead. A contact mark was in the inner rear tyre of the left main gear.

Damage also occured to fixed approach lights, instrument landing system monitoring antennas and the localizer antenna.

Bulkhead cracks (Photo: ATSB):
Bulkhead cracks (Photo: ATSB)

Ground impact marks (Graphics: ATSB/Google Earth):
Ground impact marks (Graphics: ATSB/Google Earth)

By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Apr 11th 2009 18:54Z, last updated Tuesday, Apr 21st 2009 13:35Z

According to a report by “The Herald Sun” (Australia) the airplane was just about 70cm above ground, when it wiped out runway approach lights about 170 meters from the end of the runway. After taking the localizer antenna out the airplane barely made it over the airport fence, 2.44 meters high.

The ATSB have not yet released details of the accident.

According to rumours out of Emirates Airlines the crew may have mistyped a 2 instead of 3 in the weight data entered into the FMS, so that the FMS computed takeoff data for the airplane 100 tons lighter than it actually was.

Emirates Airlines decided on Apr 21st, that the airplane will be repaired in Melbourne to a point, where it can perform an unpressurized ferry to Airbus Industries in Toulouse, where repairs will be completed.

By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Mar 20th 2009 23:11Z, last updated Saturday, Apr 11th 2009 18:55Z

Damage after the tail strike
Damage after the tail strike
An Emirates Airlines Airbus A340-500, registration A6-ERG performing flight EK-407 from Melbourne,VI (Australia) to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) with 225 people on board, experienced a tail strike on takeoff from Melbourne’s runway 16 (length 3657 meters/12000 feet) at around 22:30 local (11:30Z), hit the runway end lights and the localizer antenna past the end of runway 16. The airplane climbed out safely, went to dump fuel overhead the ocean at Port Phillip Bay but returned for an immediate emergency landing when smoke started to fill the cabin about 30 minutes after takeoff. The airplane landed heavily on Melbourne’s runway 34 and was able to taxi to the apron after being checked out by emergency services.

Severe abrazions occured to the tail skin and several access panels were ripped off during the tailstrike, the landing reportedly caused additional damage to the gear.

The Melbourne Airport confirmed, that several runway end lights were damaged in the accident, too, and needed to be replaced. NOTAMs (NOTices for AirMen) state, that the ILS runway 16 will not be available until March 23rd: “F2248/09 – ILS RWY16 ‘IMS’ FREQ 109.7 NOT AVBL. 20 MAR 16:10 2009 UNTIL 23 MAR 07:00 2009 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 20 MAR 16:10 2009″

In daylight Saturday morning it was established, that the airplane was still on the ground when it passed the runway end during takeoff, according gear tracks were found in the soft ground past the runway end.

The Australian Transportation Safety Board (ATSB) confirmed the tailstrike causing substantial damage to the airframe and subsequent smoke in the cabin, however deferred all other questions to investigation results to be expected in about 30 days.

Emirates Airlines reported on April 2nd, that both pilots handed in their resignations.

For the full Article – Please Read http://avherald.com/h?article=416c9997/0001