FlarePath

What happened

NTSB summary, verbatim

On October 29, 2024, about 1155 eastern daylight time, United Parcel Service (UPS) Company flight 2909 sustained a tailstrike while landing at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF), Louisville, KY. According to the flight crew, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring (PM) when they were cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 17R at SDF. The airplane was in the landing configuration and on a stabilized approach at 1,000 ft. and 500 ft. above ground level (AGL) respectively per company procedure. After the 500 ft stable callout by the PM, the auto pilot was disengaged and the approach continued with a normal descent rate and the autothrottles engaged. At about 20 ft AGL, power was reduced, and the flare was initiated. The touchdown felt normal, and the PM vocalized the spoiler deployment. Subsequently, the thrust reversers were deployed. The airplane bounced; however, due to the deployment of the thrust reversers a go-around was prohibited. The airplane settled back on the runway and was slowed for taxi. During the taxi, air traffic control advised the flight crew of a possible tailstrike. After the tailstrike, the remainder of the landing rollout and taxi were uneventful. A review of flight data recorder data showed that after the initial touchdown due to excessive energy, the airplane bounced followed by a firm landing. As the airplane’s shock absorber rebounded from the firm landing a nose-up control column was applied and the pitch angle began to increase. Simultaneously, the ground spoilers and thrust reversers continued to deploy, which exacerbated the nose-high attitude and resulted in a pitch angle of about 12 degrees. According to Airbus, after touchdown the flight crew should fly the nosewheel smoothly, but without delay on to the runway, and must be ready to counteract any pitch up effect of the ground spoilers and reverse thrust. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage along the aft lower fuselage. An inspection revealed substantial damage to the frames.

Photographs

1the aircraft, and what the investigators found

The aircraft before the accident

Probable cause

the Board's determination

The pilot’s incorrect pitch attitude during a bounced landing which resulted in a tailstrike.

Occurrence sequence

1 stepsNTSB coding · CICTT taxonomy

1 · Landing-flare/touchdown
Tailstrike
defining event

Findings

2 causal · 0 contributing

CAUSE
Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control — Not attained/maintained
CAUSE
Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control — Pilot

Sequence of events

28 timed eventsfrom the FDR factual report · claude-sonnet-5

08:45:00 EDTDeparture/Climb/Cruise/Descentp.5
The aircraft departed runway 26L at Ontario International Airport (KONT), Ontario, California. The data is consistent with an uneventful departure, climb, cruise, and descent into Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (KSDF), Louisville, Kentucky.
08:59:25 EDTDescentp.5
The crew tuned the ILS frequency to 110.3 MHz, the frequency for runway 17R at KSDF.
11:51:43 EDTApproachp.5
The slat began to increase from 0 deg.
11:51:53 EDTApproachp.5
The slat position was 17 deg. Radio altitude was 2,239 ft and airspeed was 233 kts.
11:52:36 EDTApproachp.5
The flap position began to increase from 0 deg.
11:52:48 EDTApproachp.5
The aircraft captured the localizer.
11:52:56 EDTApproachp.5
The flap position was 8.25 deg. Radio altitude was 2,660 ft and airspeed was 198 kts.
11:53:13 EDTApproachp.5
The aircraft lateral autopilot mode was localizer track.
11:53:16 EDTApproachp.5
The flap position was 17.5 deg. Radio altitude was 2,670 ft and airspeed was 187 kts.
11:53:18 EDTApproachp.6
The aircraft captured the glideslope.
11:53:41 EDTApproachp.6
The aircraft longitudinal autopilot mode was glideslope track.
11:53:51 EDTApproachp.6
The landing gear handle changed from not down to down.
11:53:55 EDTApproachp.6
The ground spoilers were armed for landing.
11:54:06 EDTApproachp.6
The nose and main gears were down and locked.
11:54:28 EDTApproachp.6
The slat position was 25 deg. Radio altitude was 1,824 ft and airspeed was 142 kts.
11:54:30 EDTApproachp.6
The flap position was 33.5 deg. Radio altitude was 1,781 ft and airspeed was 143 kts.
11:56:22 EDTApproachp.6
The left (captain) autopilot was disengaged. The first officer master warning was active for 4 seconds.
11:56:23 EDTApproachp.6
The captain master warning was active for 3 seconds.
11:57:02 EDTLandingp.6
The right weight on wheels changed from air to ground. Airspeed and ground speed were 131 kts and 126 kts, respectively.
11:57:03 EDTLandingp.6
The autothrust was disengaged and manual throttle was armed. The right weight on wheels changed from ground to air. Both right- and left-wing spoilers 5 through 7 began to extend.
11:57:04 EDTLandingp.6
Left and right control column position was 13.02 deg and 13.65 deg, respectively. Control column then began to reduce.
11:57:05 EDTLandingp.6
Both right and left weight on wheels were ground. Both right- and left-wing spoilers 1 through 4 began to extend. Both right- and left-wing spoilers 5 through 7 were at full extension. The engine thrust reversers were unlocked and in transition.
11:57:06 EDTLandingp.6
The right weight on wheels changed from ground to air and back from air to ground, consistent with a bounce. The aircraft reached a maximum pitch angle of 11.95 deg.
11:57:07 EDTLandingp.6
The right weight on wheels changed from ground to air and back from air to ground, consistent with a bounce. Left and right control column was 13.70 deg and 14.32 deg, respectively. Control column then began to reduce.
11:57:08 EDTLanding rolloutp.6
Thrust reverse was active on both engines for 3 seconds.
11:57:10 EDTLanding rolloutp.6
Left and right control column was 10.10 deg and 10.84 deg, respectively. Control column then began to reduce.
11:57:15 EDTLanding rolloutp.6
The nose gear weight on wheels was ground.
11:57:35 EDTTaxip.7
The aircraft began to turn off for taxiway B4. The aircraft taxied to the gate without further incident.

NTSB analysis

from the final report

On October 29, 2024, about 1155 eastern daylight time, United Parcel Service (UPS) Company flight 2909 sustained a tailstrike while landing at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF), Louisville, KY. According to the flight crew, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring (PM) when they were cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 17R at SDF. The airplane was in the landing configuration and on a stabilized approach at 1,000 ft. and 500 ft. above ground level (AGL) respectively per company procedure. After the 500 ft stable callout by the PM, the auto pilot was disengaged and the approach continued with a normal descent rate and the autothrottles engaged. At about 20 ft AGL, power was reduced, and the flare was initiated. The touchdown felt normal, and the PM vocalized the spoiler deployment. Subsequently, the thrust reversers were deployed. The airplane bounced; however, due to the deployment of the thrust reversers a go-around was prohibited. The airplane settled back on the runway and was slowed for taxi. During the taxi, air traffic control advised the flight crew of a possible tailstrike. After the tailstrike, the remainder of the landing rollout and taxi were uneventful. A review of flight data recorder data showed that after the initial touchdown due to excessive energy, the airplane bounced followed by a firm landing. As the airplane’s shock absorber rebounded from the firm landing a nose-up control column was applied and the pitch angle began to increase. Simultaneously, the ground spoilers and thrust reversers continued to deploy, which exacerbated the nose-high attitude and resulted in a pitch angle of about 12 degrees. According to Airbus, after touchdown the flight crew should fly the nosewheel smoothly, but without delay on to the runway, and must be ready to counteract any pitch up effect of the ground spoilers and reverse thrust. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage along the aft lower fuselage. An inspection revealed substantial damage to the frames.