What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The first officer was the pilot flying for the ILS runway 21L at Detroit. Prior to the approach the crew had received low-level wind shear (llws) advisories from ATIS and had briefed the llws escape maneuver and go-around.
During the flare, at approximately 5 feet above the runway, the aircraft encountered a gust of wind from their right, causing the aircraft to drift left of the runway centerline. The first officer corrected by initiating a roll to the right to counter the drift and applied power to execute a go-around. While applying power and initiating the go-around/balked landing, the crew felt and heard a thump which they believed was the right main gear contacting the runway.
During postflight inspection, the first officer observed damage to the right wingtip consistent with a wing strike. Evidence was later discovered by maintenance personnel of wing strike damage on the left wing as well.
As the FAA filed it
THE FIRST OFFICER WAS THE PILOT FLYING FOR THE ILS RUNWAY 21L AT DETROIT. PRIOR TO THE APPROACH THE CREW HAD RECEIVED LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR (LLWS) ADVISORIES FROM ATIS AND HAD BRIEFED THE LLWS ESCAPE MANEUVER AND GO-AROUND.
DURING THE FLARE, AT APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND FROM THEIR RIGHT, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE FIRST OFFICER CORRECTED BY INITIATING A ROLL TO THE RIGHT TO COUNTER THE DRIFT AND APPLIED POWER TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. WHILE APPLYING POWER AND INITIATING THE GO-AROUND/BALKED LANDING, THE CREW FELT AND HEARD A THUMP WHICH THEY BELIEVED WAS THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR CONTACTING THE RUNWAY.
DURING POSTFLIGHT INSPECTION, THE FIRST OFFICER OBSERVED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONSISTENT WITH A WING STRIKE. EVIDENCE WAS LATER DISCOVERED BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL OF WING STRIKE DAMAGE ON THE LEFT WING AS WELL.
Other reports on N515AE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.