The aircraft was expected to land on runway 12L.
Under normal conditions, the final approach involves a highly structured sequence of procedures. Pilots monitor speed, altitude, descent rate, runway alignment, and environmental conditions while coordinating with air traffic control.
Cabin crew members prepare passengers for landing, ensuring that seat belts are fastened, personal items are secured, and the cabin is ready for the aircraft's arrival.
The atmosphere aboard a passenger aircraft during descent is often relatively calm.
Travelers may look through the windows at the approaching city. Some begin thinking about their next flight or transportation from the airport. Others remain seated, waiting for the familiar sound and sensation of the wheels touching the runway.
But landing is also one of the most demanding phases of flight.
Aircraft operate close to the ground, with limited time and altitude available to respond to unexpected developments.
Changes in wind conditions, aircraft performance, or runway alignment can require pilots to modify their approach or discontinue the landing altogether.
In the case of Flight EK521, those final moments became central to understanding the accident.
Weather Conditions and the Challenge of Landing
Initial reports following the accident mentioned possible wind shear, a weather phenomenon that can create serious challenges for aircraft during takeoff and landing.
Wind shear occurs when wind speed or direction changes significantly over a relatively short distance.
These changes can affect an aircraft's airspeed, lift, and flight path.
For example, an aircraft approaching a runway may encounter shifting winds that alter its performance just when it is close to the ground.
Pilots receive specialized training to recognize and respond to wind shear because the available recovery time can be limited.
Dubai's hot summer environment can also produce challenging atmospheric conditions.
Strong surface heating can create rising air currents, while changing winds may influence the way an aircraft behaves during its final approach.
However, it is important to distinguish between early speculation and findings established by investigators.
The official final report on Flight EK521 did not simply conclude that an unavoidable wind shear event forced the aircraft into the runway.
Instead, investigators examined the combination of environmental conditions, the crew's decision-making, aircraft automation, and the handling of an attempted go-around.
The airport's weather information had included a forecast warning of moderate wind shear affecting its runways.
The aircraft was also approaching with a tailwind, although investigators determined that the tailwind was within the Boeing 777's operational limitations.
A tailwind means that the wind is blowing generally in the same direction as the aircraft's movement.
During landing, tailwinds can increase an aircraft's groundspeed and influence the distance required to land safely.
Pilots must take these factors into account when evaluating whether an approach can be continued.
On Flight EK521, the captain was manually flying the aircraft during the landing attempt.
As the aircraft neared the runway, the crew faced a developing situation that led the captain to decide against completing the landing.
The decision to abandon a landing is not inherently unusual or unsafe.
In fact, an appropriately executed go-around is a standard safety maneuver used when conditions are unsuitable for landing.
The challenge in this case was what happened after that decision was made.
The Attempted Go-Around
A go-around is a procedure in which pilots discontinue a landing and begin climbing away from the runway.
It may be initiated for several reasons, including an unstable approach, unexpected runway conditions, changing weather, or uncertainty about whether the aircraft can land safely.
When performed correctly, a go-around allows the pilots to regain altitude, establish a stable flight path, and prepare for another approach.
Commercial pilots practice this maneuver extensively during training and recurrent simulator evaluations.
For Flight EK521, the captain decided to go around because he believed the aircraft would not land within the intended touchdown zone.
According to the final investigation, the captain's decision was based on his perception that thermal conditions were preventing an appropriate landing, rather than on a recognized wind shear encounter.
The crew therefore initiated the normal go-around procedure.
However, a critical complication had already occurred.
The aircraft's main landing gear had briefly made contact with the runway.
The touchdown lasted approximately six seconds, but the pilots did not recognize that it had occurred.
This detail became crucial because of how the Boeing 777's automated systems were designed to operate.
The aircraft's takeoff/go-around switches, commonly referred to as TO/GA switches, can command an increase in engine thrust under appropriate conditions.
However, the switches are inhibited in certain circumstances after touchdown.
When the captain activated the TO/GA switch, it did not produce the expected automatic increase in engine thrust because the aircraft had already registered ground contact.
The pilots did not immediately recognize that the engine thrust remained at idle.
Although the aircraft subsequently became airborne again, it was not receiving the thrust needed to sustain the intended climb.
The Boeing 777 rose to approximately 85 feet above the runway.
For a brief period, it appeared to be climbing away.
But without sufficient airspeed and engine thrust, the aircraft could not maintain that climb.
It began descending toward the ground.
As the situation deteriorated, the captain initiated a wind shear escape maneuver and advanced the thrust levers.
By then, there was insufficient time to prevent the aircraft from striking the runway.
The sequence unfolded in seconds.
Approximately 18 seconds after the go-around was initiated, the Boeing 777 impacted runway 12L.
The final report would identify the failure to monitor and verify engine thrust during the attempted go-around as a central element in the accident.
It was not a simple case of engines unexpectedly failing.
Investigators found that the aircraft's systems and engines had operated according to their design, but the interaction between automation behavior and crew actions contributed to a dangerous outcome.
This distinction became one of the most important lessons of the investigation.
A Violent Impact on the Runway
At approximately 12:37 p.m. local time, Flight EK521 struck the runway during the unsuccessful go-around.
The aircraft impacted the pavement and began sliding along its lower fuselage.
According to the official investigation, the Boeing 777 traveled approximately 800 meters along the runway over a period of roughly 32 seconds before coming to rest.