What happened
On February 9, 2024, an Airbus A300F4-622R cargo aircraft, operating a flight from Tel Aviv to Leipzig/Halle, experienced a tailstrike during an attempted landing on runway 26L. The flight was being conducted by a two-pilot crew. During the approach, the aircraft was flown manually, and the landing checklist was completed. As the aircraft reached the runway, the pilot flying attempted to flare and align the aircraft despite a crosswind component.
The main landing gear made initial contact with the runway at 17:54:31. However, the aircraft subsequently bounced, rolling to the right. As the aircraft prepared for a second touchdown, both pilots simultaneously called for a go-around. During this transition, the aircraft's pitch increased significantly. The rear lower fuselage struck the runway surface, resulting in a tailstrike that damaged the aircraft's structure and scraped the runway pavement. The crew successfully executed the go-around and completed a subsequent landing on runway 26R at 18:12.
The investigation
The BFU examined the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) to reconstruct the sequence of events. Analysis of the FDR data revealed that during the bounce, there was a simultaneous rotation around the vertical and longitudinal axes. The investigation also reviewed the aircraft's maintenance history, the crew's flight experience, and the manufacturer's technical data regarding ground clearance limits. The BFU confirmed that the aircraft's weight and center of gravity were within permissible limits for the flight.
Findings
- The primary cause of the tailstrike was an excessive increase in the pitch angle during the go-around following the bounce.
- Flight data indicated that a continuous nose-up input on the control column near the ground contributed to a pitch angle reaching up to 13.7 degrees, exceeding the critical threshold.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage to the lower rear fuselage, including dented tail bumpers, torn skin, and damaged internal structural elements such as stringers and brackets.
- The runway surface at the impact site also sustained damage.
Safety action
Following the incident, the operator implemented several safety measures, including the issuance of internal Safety Alerts titled "Tail Strike Avoidance" and "Hard Landings." These alerts provided specific recommendations, such as ensuring thrust levers are set to idle at touchdown to facilitate spoiler extension and monitoring pitch attitude closely. Additionally, the company introduced new computer-based training and specialized flight simulator training focused on bounce recovery and go-around techniques.