What happened
On 21 January 2024, an Airbus A3-900, registered F-HTYH, was operating as flight AFR 356 from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport. The flight was serving as a training mission for the first officer, who was acting as the pilot flying. The aircraft was carrying 304 passengers, 10 cabin crew members, and 2 flight crew members.
As the aircraft touched down on Runway 24L, the pilot monitoring issued a command to perform a go-around. While the pilot flying was in the process of setting the thrust reversers to reverse idle, the command to abort the landing was repeated. The pilot flying responded by advancing the thrust levers to the take-off/go-around detent. During the subsequent climb, the aircraft's pitch increased at a low airspeed. At 1634 Eastern Standard Time, the aircraft sustained a tail strike. The crew did not realize the impact had occurred and continued with the go-around, eventually completing a second approach to the same runway without further issues. There were no injuries reported, though the aircraft sustained structural damage to the tail cone and the lower aft section of the fuselage.
The investigation
The TSB examined the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) to reconstruct the event. The investigation confirmed damage to the aircraft's skin, including delamination, punctures, and damaged fasteners, as well as significant deformation to the tail cone and cracked frames. The investigation also reviewed the flight crew's actions, cockpit communications, and the functionality of the aircraft's tail-strike protection systems.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained structural damage to the aft fuselage and tail cone area.
- The flight crew was unaware of the tail strike as it happened.
- Repairs were completed at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport and the aircraft was returned to service in October 2024.
Safety action
Following the incident, Airbus updated the A350 Flight Crew Training Manual (FCTM) to include specific training for go-arounds initiated near the ground. Airbus also modified cockpit alerts to prevent certain warnings from triggering during go-arounds involving transient ground contact.
Air France implemented new training protocols, including balked-landing exercises for pilots of various aircraft types, including the A330, A350, B777, and B787. Additionally, the airline developed an e-learning video demonstrating a balked landing on the A350 and issued a fleet-wide company note providing guidance on arrival briefings and pitch control.