EPARTURE FROM DXB

The aircraft pushed back at 14:41 UTC, departing Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 14:51 UTC (18:51 GST local time) on a scheduled cargo service to Koln-Bonn, Cologne (CGN), Germany.

The aircraft was dispatched with no known technical limitations. The aircraft was dispatched with Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) 2 items which were not contributory to the accident.

The departure runway was runway 30 Right (RW30R) from DXB. The First Officer (F/O) was the Pilot Flying (PF) 3 , the Captain was the Pilot Non Flying (PNF) 4 for the sector from DXB to CGN.

The aircraft was cleared for a RANBI2D departure from Dubai - which required a left hand turn after takeoff from DXB, heading west to towards the RANBI waypoint, then a right hand turn heading north/west overhead the RANBI waypoint towards the BALUS waypoint, which was on the Emirates FIR/Bahrain FIR boundary.

The take off and climb out from DXB was uneventful with the exception of a PACK 1 fault which was reset by the PNF at 14:55 UTC at 13,000 ft enroute to the BALUS waypoint.

ENROUTE DXB-CGN

15:11 UTC, Bahrain Air Traffic Control (BAH-C ) confirmed the aircraft was in radar contact and cleared the flight crew to the next waypoint, COPPI. The crew acknowledged the BAH-C transmission as the aircraft was climbing to the designated cruise altitude of 32, 000 ft. Over head the BALUS waypoint the aircraft entered into the Bahrain Flight Information Region (FIR).

1 minute after passing the BALUS waypoint approaching the top of climb, there was the sound of an audible alarm on the CVR consistent with the fire bell alarm; this occurred at 15:12 UTC.

FIRE WARNING/EMERGENCY DECLARATION/SMOKE IN THE FLIGHT DECK

Following the fire bell annunciation, the CAPT assumed control of the aircraft as PF, and the F/O reverted to PNF while managing the fire warnings and cockpit checklists.

The CAPT advised BAH-C that there was a fire indication on the main deck of the aircraft. The crew informed BAH-C that they needed to land as soon as possible. BAH-C advised the crew that Doha International Airport (DOH) was at the aircraft's 10 o'clock position at 100 NM DME. DOH was the nearest airport at the time the emergency was declared, DXB was approximately 148 NM DME.

The CAPT elected to return to DXB, and following the request to land as soon as possible to BAH-C, the crew declared an emergency.

BAH-C acknowledged the request, cleared the aircraft for a series of right hand heading changes back to DXB onto a heading of 106° - the turns and remaining straight line distance to DXB totalled approximately 150 nm.

EMERGENCY DESCENT AND TURN BACK TO DUBAI

At approximately 15:14 UTC, the Auto Pilot (AP) disconnected, followed at 15:15 by a second audible alarm similar to the fire bell. At about this time the flight crew put on the oxygen masks and goggles. The crew experienced difficulties communicating via the intercom with the masks on, which interfered with the Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) 5 .