What happened
The aircraft was conducting a visual approach to runway 31R at Jamaica, New York. During the final phase of the landing maneuver, the bottom of the aft 60 feet of the fuselage made contact with the ground. This impact initiated structural damage that began at station 2080 and extended past station 2742 toward the gear.
The investigation
Examination of the airframe revealed specific mechanical failures resulting from the ground contact. The left outflow valve was scraped, and the rear drain mast was separated from its mounting. Additionally, part of the aft pressure access door sustained damage, along with several structural stringers and formers in the affected region. Internal damage within the pressurized cabin area is currently being evaluated by maintenance personnel.
Findings
The primary event was a tail strike during the landing rollout or flare phase. The extent of the damage indicates a significant vertical displacement between the aircraft's fuselage and the runway surface at the point of impact. The separation of the drain mast and scraping of the outflow valve are consistent with the described geometry of the aft fuselage contacting the pavement.
N00000 sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage structure. The incident occurred during a visual approach phase of flight.