United Arab Emirates investigators are probing an incident involving damage to an Emirates Airbus A380 engine just after take-off from Dubai.

The aircraft had taken off from runway 12R, bound for Paris Charles de Gaulle, on 6 February.

But as it climbed through 1,000ft the crew heard a “loud noise” and “slight shock”, states French investigation authority BEA, citing its UAE counterpart.

The crew decided to continue the climb. But upon reaching 5,000ft one of the cabin crew informed the pilots that he had noticed “damage” to the cowl of the outboard left-hand engine.

EK A380-c-Julian Herzog Creative Commons

Source: Julian Herzog/Creative Commons

Cabin crew on the jet, similar to this one, noticed damage to the outboard left-hand GP7200

When the aircraft reached 12,000ft the crew, having discussed the occurrence, opted to return to Dubai where the A380 landed on runway 12L.

BEA identifies the aircraft as A6-EOL, which is powered by Engine Alliance GP7200s.

Investigators from the UAE’s General Authority of Civil Aviation have not yet specified the extent of damage, or the cause. The aircraft has since returned to service.

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