No fatalities

AIRBUS A321-231 accident at Charlotte, NC, 5 May 2023

Charlotte, NC, United States

On May 5, 2023, an AIRBUS A321-231 operated by AMERICAN AIRLINES INC was involved in an aviation accident near Charlotte, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The captain’s failure to maintain the appropriate airspeed and pitch attitude during landing which resulted in a tailstrike. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 17 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards
AIRBUS A321-231
Photo: Julien.scavini / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Probable cause

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

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

Pitch control — Not attained/maintainedAirspeed — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 5 May 2023 AIRBUS A321-231 accident near Charlotte, NC?

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

Were there any fatalities in the 5 May 2023 AIRBUS A321-231 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 5 May 2023 involved an AIRBUS A321-231, operated by AMERICAN AIRLINES INC, at Charlotte, NC.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

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