Qatar Airways is launching an investigation after one of its Boeing Dreamliners rapidly descended after takeoff from Doha and landed within SECONDS of impacting the water
- The 787-8 left Doha at 2 a.m. on January 9 for Copenhagen
- The Dreamliner climbed to 1,800 feet but then lost 1,000 feet in 24 seconds
- The pilot “lost situational awareness” and the flap speed limit was exceeded
Qatar Airways has launched an internal investigation after one of its Boeing Dreamliners hit the water just seconds after impact after taking off from Hamad International Airport, the airline’s Doha hub.
The 787-8, registration A7-BCO, departed Doha at 2 a.m. on January 9 bound for Copenhagen.
After leaving the ground, the Dreamliner climbed to about 1,800 feet under the control of the first officer – but then lost 1,000 feet in 24 seconds for unknown reasons, the authorities said By Herald.
As the plane descended at a speed of 50 feet per second, the captain took over and pulled the plane 800 feet — or 16 seconds — over the Arabian Gulf, the publication reported.
According to the information received, the co-pilot flew manually without instructions from the flight director. This is a computer generated marker on the Primary Flight Display (showing the horizon) that guides pilots on the correct flight path.
Qatar Airways has launched an internal investigation after one of its Boeing Dreamliners hit the water within seconds of taking off from Hamad International Airport (stock image).
The first officer “lost situational awareness” and the plane descended so rapidly that it “exceeded the flap speed limit.”
After the captain regained control, the plane – Flight QR161 – continued on to Copenhagen, where it landed safely six hours after departing Doha.
Qatar Airways told MailOnline Travel that the incident was reported to authorities “immediately”.
A statement from the airline said: “Qatar Airways is aware of an incident related to flight QR161, operating from Doha to Copenhagen on January 10, 2023. It was immediately reported to the authorities and an internal investigation is being conducted.
“The airline follows the strictest safety, training and reporting standards and is working to resolve any findings in line with industry norms.”
Last year, Qatar Airways was named the best airline in the world at the Aviation Oscars for the seventh year in a row.
The airline ruled over 350 airlines at the top Skytrax World Airline Awards 2022, with Singapore Airlines in second place and Emirates in third place.
The 787-8 left Doha (above, archive image) at 2 a.m. on January 9 for Copenhagen. After leaving the ground, the Dreamliner climbed to about 1,800 feet – but then lost 1,000 feet in 24 seconds for unknown reasons
