Reports Indicate Both Crew Members Fatally Injured

A United Parcel Service 747-400 freighter went down shortly after takeoff from Dubai after the crew reported there was a fire in the cockpit. Both crew members were fatally injured in the accident.

File Photo

The plane was en route to the UPS hub in Cologne, Germany, when it went down about 1200 EDT Friday. It was unable to return to Dubai International Airport after the fire was reported. Bloomberg News reports that, according to state-run Dubai TV, air traffic controllers ordered the crew to return to the airport, but they were unable to complete an emergency landing.

The NTSB has dispatched a team to Dubai to assist in the investigation.

GE, which builds the engines for the aircraft, accompanied the NTSB team to Dubai. The company said in a statement “Based on the engine fleet’s service history, we are not aware of operational issues that would hazard the continued safe flight of aircraft powered by these engines."

The aircraft went down in an unpopulated area near a UAE military base. There were no reports of injuries to people on the ground.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov