Understanding the FlyDubai Flight 981 Tragedy and Lessons Learned

The Prelude to Tragedy

On March 18, 2016, FlyDubai Flight 981 was scheduled for a routine flight from Dubai to Rostov-on-Don. The flight crew, consisting of two pilots and five cabin crew members, prepared for what appeared to be a standard night shift with a challenging weather forecast at the destination.

Initial Preparations and Challenges

The crew faced several challenges from the outset:

• Weather Concerns: The destination airport was experiencing strong westerly winds, rain showers, and possible thunderstorms due to a cold front.
• Technical Preparations: Special briefing requirements were necessary for flying in Russian airspace, including adjustments from feet to meters and different pressure settings (QFE vs. QNH).
• Airport Complexity: Rostov-on-Don airport was known for wind shears and had a shallower than normal ILS glide slope, making it a captain-only landing.

Both pilots were experienced but had never flown together before. Despite this, they felt prepared after adequate rest and thorough pre-flight discussions.

The Journey Begins

The flight departed Dubai on time. As they approached Rostov-on-Don, updated weather reports confirmed challenging conditions but within operational limits. The decision was made to proceed with the landing approach.

Critical Moments Leading to Disaster

As FlyDubai Flight 981 began its descent, several factors contributed to the unfolding tragedy:

1. Unexpected Weather Report: Upon nearing the destination, pilots received a report of severe turbulence up to 15,000 ft which wasn't included in their initial briefing.
2. HUD Usage: The captain's use of the Head-Up Display (HUD) was crucial for visibility during approach; however, it was retracted temporarily during flight which could have impacted his situational awareness.
3. Fuel Tankering Strategy: Carrying extra fuel seemed prudent for flexibility in adverse weather but added weight that influenced the aircraft's handling during critical phases of flight.
4. Communication Barriers: Language difficulties with local air traffic control added complexity during crucial moments.
5. Approach and Go-Around: Upon encountering wind shear during final approach, a go-around was initiated using maximum thrust settings as per procedure which dramatically changed aircraft handling dynamics.

Mismanagement During Go-Around

The go-around procedure led to confusion between executing a standard go-around or a wind shear escape maneuver. This confusion was exacerbated by rapid changes in speed and altitude that overwhelmed the crew's capacity to manage the aircraft effectively. The captain’s spatial disorientation became evident as he struggled with aircraft control inputs that were inconsistent with achieving safe recovery from the go-around maneuver. The situation deteriorated rapidly when incorrect flap settings due to excessive speed led to further complications just seconds before impact. The tragic culmination came when intense psychological stress and potential somatogravic illusion caused by high acceleration misled the captain’s perception of pitch angle leading him incorrectly adjust his inputs resulting in catastrophic descent towards terrain below without sufficient time or altitude for recovery despite efforts by first officer urging corrective action against increasingly adverse conditions ultimately proving futile within mere seconds leading up until impact resulting loss all onboard devastatingly marking one aviation’s sorrowful chapters highlighting critical need stringent adherence procedural discipline under duress enhanced training regimes aimed at better preparing crews handle unexpected severe operational anomalies effectively prevent such occurrences future endeavors ensuring safety remains paramount concern industry wide moving forward earnestly striving continuous improvement standards practices across board diligently working towards goal zero accidents fatalities ever again earnest hope lessons learned this tragic event will serve reinforce importance vigilance continuous education every level personnel involved field aviation globally.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq84tjaUHeA