u/AdvancedSecurity7483

This happened at 01:50–02:36 UTC and observed on both ADS-B Exchange and FlightRadar24. I thought it was interesting this happened as OVRLRD2 patrols the straight... Also worth noting that the aircraft Hex shows it has not flown this year! (last flight history included in screenshots)

I've included more details below but also interested on everyone's thoughts!

Possible Iranian Rick Roll? 🧐🤔

EK01 / A6-EEN

• Type: Airbus A380-861
• Operator: Emirates
• Hex: 89618D
• Squawk: 2000
• https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=89618d

Signal Quality

• Single receiver, no MLAT cross-check
• NACp: ≥18.5km (normal A380 = NACp 9-10)
• WGS84 altitude: -25ft (physically impossible over water)
• GPS altitude: N/A throughout
• TAS, IAS, wind, temp: all N/A
• Message rate: 0.0 at termination
• Rc: unknown

Altitude & Speed

• Baro altitude locked at 225-250ft entire event, zero vertical rate
• FMS selected altitude frozen at 192ft throughout, never updated
• FMS selected heading frozen at 29.5° throughout, never updated
• Speed/altitude graph shows instant-on from zero, no climb profile
• Squawk 2000 throughout, no ATC assignment

Track Behaviour

• Heading ~4° (due north), opposite to DXB-LHR routing
• Perfectly straight track, no deviation or drift
• Signal cycled off/on twice, FR24 called landing on each dropout
• Final position: 26.927°N, 55.544°E (inland Iran)
• Active duration: ~46 minutes

Context

• FR24 destination: N/A, no flight plan matched
• Peak FR24 trackers: 2,136, ranked #1 worldwide
• A6-EEN last legitimate flight: December 2025
• Airframe dormant entire conflict period (Feb 28 2026 onwards)
• No parallel legitimate track existed to contradict signal.