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BA aircraft tailfin damaged in aborted landing

The tailfin of a British Airways flight struck the runway at Heathrow as it ascended swiftly from an aborted landing.

The details of the incident in January involving an Airbus A350 arriving from Dubai emerged in an Air Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) report.

The aircraft had to take off again swiftly as the crew believed it would not land within the runway touchdown zone in “blustery” conditions.


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The AAIB said: “A go-around was initiated from low height and speed; the subsequent pitch rate applied caused the aircraft to reach a nose-up attitude sufficient to cause a tailstrike. 

“The aircraft subsequently landed safely and there were no injuries.”

There were 326 passengers and 12 crew on board at the time.

The AAIB added: “Although the wind conditions at Heathrow were gusty, they were within limits for the approach.

“The aircraft touched down, and as the pitch attitude reached 9 degrees nose-up, the tail struck the ground.

“The pitch rate induced by the co-pilot caused the aircraft to reach a nose up attitude sufficient to cause a tailstrike as the aircraft touched down.”

An initial damage assessment found two areas of skin damage on the aircraft tail lower fuselage.

MoreTui flight ‘descended unnoticed for 57 seconds’, official report finds

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