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| Date: | Friday 10 March 2023 |
| Time: | c. 17:54 UTC |
| Type: |  Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner |
| Owner/operator: | Gulf Air |
| Registration: | A9C-FG |
| MSN: | 39986/901 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2019 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 193 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | near Dubai Airport (DXB/OMDB) -
 United Arab Emirates
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Bahrain International Airport (BAH/OBBI) |
| Dubai Airport (DXB/OMDB) | |
| Investigating agency: | GCAA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On 10 March 2023, a Boeing 787-9 Aircraft, registration marks A9C-FG, owned by Gulf Air, was
scheduled to operate flight number GF504, for the sector Bahrain International Airport (OBBI) to Dubai International Airport (OMDB), the United Arab Emirates. There were 193 persons on board,
comprising 183 passengers and 2 flight crew members, and 8 cabin crew members.
The Commander was the pilot flying (PF) and the Copilot was the pilot monitoring (PM).
The DFDR data revealed that the Aircraft took off from runway 30R at time 1728:58. After takeoff
and climb, the Aircraft cruised at flight level (FL) 250 for 26 minutes. At 1754:00 the flight crew
commenced the decent. At this time, the crew experienced the failure of tuning control panel
(TCP) right, left and center. followed by engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS)
message loss of transponder, weather radar and traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS). The crew
were unable to change the radio frequency.
While assessing the situation, the crew initiated the quick reference handbook (QRH) for non-normal checklist. They were able to communicate with on standby radio on frequency 119.3 with Dubai Approach controller. At 1756:23 they got the clearance for VUTEB waypoint and decent clearance to 13000 feet. At 18:03:57, the Aircraft descended to 13,000 feet at waypoint VUTEB, where it entered a holding pattern. Meanwhile, the flight crew initiated the non-normal checklist to troubleshoot the issue and awaited clearance from Dubai Approach to continue with the approach..
Dubai Approach controlled the decent by taking flight crew flight levels (altitude) over the frequency 119.3 as the transponder was inoperative Dubai Approach controller (DAC) was unable to see the Aircraft movement on radar monitoring screen.
As per the PM statement, he was trying to refer the QRH and Flight Crew Operations Manual (FCOM) on the company iPad located in the electronic flight bag (EFB) to check for any TCP reset procedures or if there is any Flight Crew Operations Manual Bulletin for TCP inoperative reset procedure but he was unable to find the procedures to reset or any bulletin.
As per the PF statement, while the Aircraft was holding over VUTEB at 1801:02 the flight crew tried to further troubleshoot before they could get the landing clearance from the DAC.
Both crew members did not discuss the flight crew operations bulletin relevant to TCP inoperative procedure.
Meanwhile DAC informed to crew to declare radio communication failure emergency for landing clearance and for emergency services on standby while landing.
At 1822:15 the flight crew declared radio communication emergency and decent the Aircraft for approach to Dubai airport, while DAC was coordinating with Dubai Tower Air Traffic Controller and flight crew to for landing clearance and Aircraft altitude.
The Aircraft landed at 1835:33 on runway 12L safely and vacated the runway on exit Mike 7 Alpha at 1836:15. The Aircraft continued taxiing via Mike taxiway, Lima 1, kilo and stopped on stand Charlie 41.
The fire commander declared full emergency cancelled at 1842:00.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.gcaa.gov.ae/en/departments/airaccidentinvestigation/Lists/Incidents%20Investigation%20Reports/Attachments/163/AIFN_0004_2023%20_%20Final%20Summary%20Report.pdf
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10875053 (Photo)
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Jul-2025 19:35 | Justanormalperson | Added |
| 17-Jul-2025 19:36 | Justanormalperson | Updated [Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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