Summary
- NTSB final report states United Airlines 737 suffered a tail strike in Houston due to a delayed flare and hard landing.
- A tail strike caused substantial damage to the aircraft, forcing it out of service for over four months.
- Tail strikes can weaken an aircraft’s structural integrity, as seen in the history of Japan Airlines flight 123.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a United Airlines tail strike in January. The accident occurred after a Boeing 737, which has yet to return to service more than four months on, made multiple touchdowns during a hard landing in Houston.
Final report on United Houston tail strike
On January 10, 2024, a 737-900ER suffered a tail strike after it bounced multiple times while landing. According to the NTSB’s report, the aircraft’s aft fuselage “impacted the runway as a result of a delayed flare and subsequent nose-high pitch inputs,” with the initial touchdown recorded at…
