Emirates A6-EMJ

A round trip to Bengaluru

On 22 October 2014, Emirates Boeing 777-21H (ER) A6-EMJ operated a passenger round trip between Dubai and Bengaluru. The commander had rested for approximately six hours before reporting for duty. He described waking refreshed, consumed black coffee and travelled to the airport in company transport. His flying hours and duty time were within the regulatory and operator limits. The aircraft left Dubai at 0330 UTC, and the three and a half hour outward flight was uneventful.

Both pilots stayed on board during the ground stop at Bengaluru. The commander ate his first meal of the day, consisting of a muffin, an omelet and fruit. The flight back to Dubai departed at 1026 local time, with the commander as pilot flying and the copilot as pilot monitoring. About one hour after departure, the commander developed a headache and nausea. He took two pain relief tablets from the aircraft first aid kit and visited the bathroom several times.

The nausea was unaccompanied by vomiting. The commander had a persistent mild headache, but developed no fever, chest pain or diarrhea. At the top of descent his condition changed: he suddenly felt nauseous, could not focus and felt that he was about to faint. He announced the transfer of control to the copilot before losing consciousness.

The copilot and cabin crew respond

The copilot saw the commander trying to stand, then losing consciousness and falling back into his seat. He took control of the aircraft and called the senior cabin crewmember to the cockpit. The cabin crewmember secured the unconscious commander in his seat. Approximately three minutes after the collapse, the commander regained consciousness. He could communicate and interact, but told the copilot that he was unable to assist with the landing.

The copilot continued flying and declared a MAYDAY for pilot incapacitation. Air traffic control immediately gave the flight priority. The aircraft landed at Dubai International Airport at approximately 1238 local time. The controller consulted airport management and decided that an emergency phase declaration was unnecessary. After parking, the crew shut down the engines and the passengers disembarked normally. There were no injuries to passengers or crew and no damage to the aircraft.

Paramedics boarded and gave oxygen to the commander. He was then able to walk off the aircraft, and they accompanied him to the airport clinic. An electrocardiogram and blood pressure examinations produced normal results. He subsequently attended the operator's clinic. After the medical assessment, the GCAA suspended his medical certificate.

Medical examinations and certification

Both pilots held GCAA airline transport pilot licences with Boeing 777 type ratings and valid class 1 medical certificates. The commander had completed his proficiency checks, had 17,787 flying hours and had worked for Emirates since 1988. In February 2014, he had attended the operator's clinic with stress, tiredness and anxiety. A specialist assessment diagnosed a mood disorder. He underwent a dizziness assessment and passed a functional simulator test covering handling, scanning, situation awareness and decision making.

The commander responded well to treatment and resumed flying in May 2014. Reinstatement followed the GCAA aeromedical guidance and involved two approved psychiatrists. His medical certificate required monthly aeromedical examiner reviews and regular psychiatric reviews. The psychiatrists' assessments supplied to the investigation found him fit for duty. His monthly examination took place two days before the incident, and the examiner referred him for a psychiatric review in accordance with the certificate limitation.

At the operator's clinic approximately two hours after the incident, a doctor found the commander tired and referred him for further assessments and tests. The results were normal. On 31 December 2014, he experienced another fainting episode while alone in his accommodation, fell and injured his head. Hospital examinations found no abnormalities. Further specialist assessments in January 2015 found no neurological or neuropsychological explanation. In May 2015, following the Senior Aeromedical Board recommendation, the GCAA revoked his medical certificate because of the unexplained falling attacks.

Procedures and crew performance

Emirates' operations manuals addressed incapacitation for both flight and cabin crew. Flight crew guidance required the remaining pilot to declare an emergency and land as soon as practical, while flying from the normal position. Cabin crew guidance covered pilot seats and restraints, moving the incapacitated pilot away from the controls, securing the pilot and moving the seat backwards to enable removal from the cockpit.

The AAIS found the emergency policies and procedures adequate. Initial and recurrent training helped the crew recognise the emergency correctly. The commander warned the copilot before fainting, allowing him to take over control. The senior cabin crewmember secured the commander with his seat belt while the copilot continued flying. Investigators found that cockpit and cabin communication was appropriate and that the timely, accurate exchange of safety information contributed to a safe landing.

The investigation findings

The AAIS found that the aircraft was certified, equipped and maintained in accordance with UAE regulations and was airworthy when released to service. It identified no aircraft defect or malfunction that contributed to the incident. The crew were qualified, adequately rested and operating within the published flight and duty limitations.

The AAIS could not determine the cause of the commander's fainting attack, and the risk of recurrence remained undetermined. Its review of earlier incapacitation investigations found that Emirates had implemented all the previously identified safety improvement opportunities. It issued no additional safety recommendations for this occurrence. The completed investigation was published on 12 February 2018 as a seven-page summary report.