Airlines
How Qatar Airways Boeing Flight Lost Height To Just 800ft Minutes After Take-off
Qatar Airways has opened an investigation after one of its Boeing 787s narrowly escaped colliding with the Arabian Gulf in what seemed to be a steep nosedive shortly after departure from Hamad International Airport in Doha.
After temporarily losing “situational awareness” shortly after takeoff, a pilot unintentionally pushed a jet into a precipitous dive.
The plane A7-BCO quickly nosedived after takeoff for Copenhagen, Denmark, according to flight tracking information on January 10. It slowly gained height until it reached a height of 550 metres before suddenly losing altitude.
On January 10, early in the morning, Qatar Airways flight 161 departed Doha for Copenhagen. The Boeing 787-8 took off from Hamad International Airport’s Runway 16L at 22:59 UTC (01:59 local time). However, less than two minutes later, the plane had descended to just 800 feet before climbing back up. Six hours later, the plane touched down in Copenhagen.
Following the event, the aircraft levelled off and was once more ready to start climbing. The pilot flying at the time of the descent is thought to have been the first officer, reports the Herald. The altitude dip was reported to authorities, and Qatar Airways is now looking into it internally.
“Qatar Airways is aware of an incident involving flight QR161 from Doha to Copenhagen on January 10, 2023. An internal investigation is being conducted, and it was immediately reported to the authorities. The national carrier promised that “the airline follows the most strict standards of safety, training, and reporting and is working to remediate any issues in line with industry norms.”
