Recovery personnel have retrieved "in a reasonable condition" the flight data recorder from the wreckage of the UPS Boeing 747-400 that crashed at Dubai.
The cockpit voice recorder was found shortly after the accident on 3 September. Both recorders are to be analysed in the USA. Neither crew member survived the crash.
United Arab Emirates investigators say that the pilots of the aircraft, which had departed for Cologne on 3 September, were attempting to return to Dubai International airport after the outbreak of fire, having to deal with both smoke in the cockpit and an inability to maintain altitude.
Less than 25min after take-off, at 19:15, information relayed from the Bahrain flight information region said that the jet was intending to return to Dubai. United Arab Emirates air traffic control cleared the aircraft to land while it was 40km (22nm) from Dubai.
But the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority says the aircraft was "high on the approach" - still at 8,500ft while 24km from the airport - and it overflew the airport "very high" before making a right turn.
It says the crew was informed that all runways at Dubai were available to the aircraft, but the 747 headed south-west and "rapidly lost altitude" before controllers lost radar contact at 19:42, 49min after departure.
The impact point, between Emirates Road and Al Ain Highway, is unpopulated and lies to the south-west of Dubai International airport and north of the Al Minhad military air base.
US investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are assisting the UAE authorities in the inquiry.
The airframe, N571UP, entered service just three years ago and accumulated 9,977h over 1,764 cycles, says UPS, which adds that the aircraft was "up to date on all maintenance" and had undergone a "major inspection" in June.
UPS ordered eight 747-400 freighters in 2005, fitted with General Electric CF6 engines, and started taking delivery of the aircraft in 2007.
In 2009 the carrier also agreed to acquire four 747-400Fs from Cargolux, as the Luxembourg-based operator renewed its fleet with 747-8Fs.
UPS says both pilots of the aircraft that crashed were stationed at its Anchorage, Alaska base. The captain had been with the carrier since 1995, the first officer since 2006.
Source: Flight International
