Description

On 3 September 2010, the crew of a Boeing 747-400F (N571UP) being operated by UPS on a scheduled cargo flight from Hong Kong via Dubai to Cologne as UPS6 declared a MAYDAY due to a main deck cargo fire whilst about to reach their cleared level of FL320 22 minutes after take off from Dubai. An emergency descent and return to Dubai was initiated in night Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) but rapid smoke build up in the flight deck made it impossible to see enough to change radio frequencies and communications were continued using relay aircraft. An attempt to land back at Dubai was unsuccessful and during an attempt to reposition, the aircraft impacted terrain out of control. The aircraft was destroyed and neither pilot, the only occupants, survived.

The following diagram shows the sequence of events from the first signs of fire: + The only occupants of the aircraft were the operating crew. The 48 year-old Captain had been with UPS for 15 years and had 11,200 total flying hours including 4053 hours on the accident aircraft type over the previous 5 years. Command time on type was 1218 hours. The 38 year-old First Officer been with UPS for 4 years and had 5549 flying hours of which just 77 were on the accident aircraft type.