What happened
On April 4, 2019, at approximately 08:56 UTC, a Bombardier DHC-8-402 operated by an Austrian airline was landing at Innsbruck Airport (LOWI) when the aircraft's tail made contact with the runway. The flight originated from Vienna (LOWW) and was being operated under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) by a two-pilot crew.
During the approach, the crew was navigating Föhn weather conditions, which were characterized by significant wind and turbulence. As the aircraft approached the runway, the crew received wind information indicating gusts of up to 32 knots. The flight data indicates that the aircraft experienced fluctuations in sink rate and several EGPWS alerts prior to touchdown.
As the aircraft reached the runway, the airspeed was approximately 141 knots, while the crew's target speed was 134 knots. In the final seconds before touchdown, the aircraft experienced a rapid loss of altitude and airspeed. The pilot flying noted that the aircraft felt as though it were being "pushed down." Upon the initial touchdown of the main landing gear at approximately 123 knots, the pilot attempted to rotate the nose upward, resulting in a tailstrike that caused damage to the rear of the aircraft.
The investigation
The Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Board (SUB) reconstructed the flight sequence using crew statements, air traffic control reports, and data from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). The investigation examined the impact of the Föhn weather conditions, the aircraft's performance during the final approach, and the crew's management of the landing parameters under turbulent conditions.