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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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May 5, 2023 · Airbus A321-231 · N921US

Charlotte, NC

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 5, 2023
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (177 uninjured)
Location
Charlotte, NC
Aircraft
Airbus A321-231 (2015)
Tail Number
N921US
Operator
American Airlines
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
DCA23LA278

American Airlines flight 1753 sustained a tailstrike while landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Charlotte, NC. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Fort Lauderdale, FL to CLT. According to the flight crew, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring when they were cleared to land on runway 18L at CLT. The airplane was in the landing configuration and on a stabilized approach at 1,000 ft. above ground level (AGL). While crossing the runway’s threshold the wind shifted from a 6-7 knot headwind component to a 6–7 knot tailwind component, the airspeed began to decay, and the airplane’s sink rate increased. In an effort to correct for the sink rate the captain applied back sidestick. The airplane touched down firmly and bounced, coincidentally the ground spoilers deployed which resulted in a nose high attitude. The airplane touched down a second time decelerated and taxied uneventfully to the gate. The captain stated that the ground spoiler deployment coinciding with the bounced touchdown resulted in an airplane nose-up pitch attitude. As a result, the pitch attitude increased until the tail struck the runway. After the tailstrike, and subsequent touchdown the remainder of the landing and landing rollout were normal with no risk of runway overrun or excursion. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage along the aft lower fuselage, over an area of about 14 feet long by 2 feet wide. An inspection revealed substantial damage to several frames.

NTSB Probable Cause

The captain’s failure to maintain the appropriate airspeed and pitch attitude during landing which resulted in a tailstrike.

Full Narrative

American Airlines flight 1753 sustained a tailstrike while landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Charlotte, NC. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Fort Lauderdale, FL to CLT. According to the flight crew, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring when they were cleared to land on runway 18L at CLT. The airplane was in the landing configuration and on a stabilized approach at 1,000 ft. above ground level (AGL). While crossing the runway’s threshold the wind shifted from a 6 -7 knot headwind component to a 6–7 knot tailwind component, the airspeed began to decay, and the airplane’s sink rate increased. In an effort to correct for the sink rate the captain applied back sidestick. The airplane touched down firmly and bounced, coincidentally the ground spoilers deployed which resulted in a nose high attitude. The airplane touched down a second time decelerated and taxied uneventfully to the gate. The captain stated that the ground spoiler deployment coinciding with the bounced touchdown resulted in an airplane nose-up pitch attitude. As a result, the pitch attitude increased until the tail struck the runway. After the tailstrike, and subsequent touchdown the remainder of the landing and landing rollout were normal with no risk of runway overrun or excursion. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage along the aft lower fuselage, over an area of about 14 feet long by 2 feet wide. An inspection revealed substantial damage to several frames.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time04:54 EDT
Nearest AirportCharlotte/Douglas Intl (0nm NW)
Runway18L
Runway Length8677 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAirbus A321-231
Tail NumberN921US
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorAmerican Airlines
Operating RulePart 121
Engines2
Engine TypeTurbofan
Engine DetailsIae · V2533-A5 · Turbofan · 31600 | Iae · V2533-A5 · Turbofan · 31600
Seats379

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (177 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured177
Total177
Crew 1First Class · None
Crew 2Age 55 · First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind230° @ 9 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point45 F
Altimeter30.15 inHg
Observation Time16:52
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data