Pilot error blamed for Emirates runway mishap in Melbourne: AN ERROR in which pilots entered wrong information into a computer appears to have caused an accident involving an Emirates A340-500 at Melbourne Airport last month. The incorrect information reduced the 258-seat plane's take-off speed. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau classified the "significant event" on March 20 as an accident. It is investigating how the wrong speed was selected, which resulted in the take-off being attempted at below the required minimum flying speed, resulting in a tail scrape and damage to airport landing lights. An Emirates spokesperson said yesterday the bureau's report had not been finalised, so it would be inappropriate to comment. But sources at Melbourne Airport said the pilots may have entered the wrong take-off weight for the plane. This calculates the take-off speed, which is then manually fed into the computer that sets the take-off thrust setting. Virtually all airlines use only the thrust required for a safe take-off, rather than full thrust, to reduce engine wear significantly.
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