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Kalitta Air 777 Scrapes Tail During Go-Around at Cincinnati Airport

A Federal Aviation Administration probe will determine whether the tailstrike caused structural damage that requires heavy maintenance.

Overview

  • Video and witness accounts show the Boeing 777-300ER’s tail contacted the runway and produced visible sparks during a go-around at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
  • The freighter continued to circle and then landed safely with no reported injuries to the flight crew.
  • Kalitta Air immediately removed the aircraft from service and plans to ferry it to its heavy-maintenance base at OscodaWurtsmith Airport in Michigan for detailed structural inspections.
  • The FAA has opened an official investigation that will review flight and cockpit data, air-traffic records, maintenance logs, and available video before issuing findings.
  • A tailstrike happens when an aircraft’s rear fuselage contacts the runway, often from an excessive nose-up pitch during landing, and inspections will focus on aft fuselage structure and flight-control systems that could need repair.