Incident Overview
On December 31, 2018, at 12:40 pm Eastern Standard Time, American Airlines flight 567, a Boeing 757 registered as N938UW, experienced a tail strike during landing on runway 36L at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (KCLT), Charlotte, North Carolina. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. No injuries occurred among the passengers or crew. The flight was a regularly scheduled passenger service operating under 14 CFR Part 121 from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (KPHX) to KCLT. Instrument flight conditions prevailed at the time.
Pre-Flight and Approach Preparations
According to the operator, the flight crew discussed the forecast weather for KCLT. Due to some inoperative equipment, no lower than Category 1 visibility was required. The flight from KPHX to the KCLT area was reported as normal. Shortly before arrival, the crew received the latest weather update indicating conditions of 1/8 statute mile visibility in fog with overcast clouds at 200 feet. Air traffic control advised that the runway visual range (RVR) was reported at 2800, 2600, and 2900 feet, which was sufficient for landing. The crew discussed the approach and planned for a flaps 30 landing with a reference speed (Vref) of 125 knots and a target speed of 130 knots. They intended to disconnect automation at 100 feet above the touchdown zone, per standard operating procedure.
The Landing Sequence
The first officer (FO) was the pilot flying. The FO reported that the airplane was configured and stabilized at 1000 feet above touchdown, slightly fast and correcting. As the crew approached decision height, they observed the approach lights and disconnected the autopilot and autothrottle. The FO stated that he perceived the aural radar altitude countdown as fast and reached for the throttles to push them forward. The airplane landed hard in the touchdown zone but did not bounce.
Flight Data and Post-Flight Findings
Examination of recorded flight data by the operator showed that after autothrottle disconnect, the airspeed decayed to about 107 knots at touchdown, with a pitch attitude of about 9 degrees nose-up. A post-flight inspection revealed that the underside of the rear fuselage struck the runway. Damage included scraped bottom skin panels, crushing damage to the aft pressure bulkhead lower chords and web, several frame webs, chords, and associated shear ties were crushed, and the auxiliary power unit (APU) was found seized.