# NTSB DCA13CA065: Boeing 757-232, N698DL, Atlanta, GA, March 8, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 7, 2013, 19:21 local (Mar 8, 2013, 00:21 UTC) - Place: Atlanta, GA - Coordinates: 33.636665, -84.42778 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6367&lon=-84.4278&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Tailstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 148 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 26, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 86416 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA13CA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86416/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86416 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA13CA065 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain correct airspeed and pitch attitude at touchdown. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 757-232, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1384965), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Tailstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 757-232, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=1384965), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md) ## Analysis On March 7, 2013, at 19:21 Eastern Standard Time, a Boeing 757-200, registration N698DL, operated by Delta Air Lines as flight 1693 from Orange County Airport, Santa Ana, California (KSNA) to the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia (KATL), experienced a tailstrike while landing on runway 28. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and there were no injuries to the 2 flight crew, 4 flight attendants, or 142 passengers. Weather at the time of the event was reported as winds from 340 degrees at 6 knots, clear skies and 10 miles visibility. According to the flight crew, the preflight, departure and enroute segments of the flight were normal. The approach was flown with a Vref speed of 129 knots and 25 degrees of flap. Upon landing, the first officer called "speedbrakes not activated" and manually deployed the speedbrakes. The captain reported he felt the airplane "float" and attempted to maintain landing attitude. FDR data indicated that the airplane made an initial touchdown, followed by a brief gear squat switch deactivation, consistent with a slight bounce or light touchdown; the speedbrakes were then manually deployed. Airspeed decayed to approximately 115 knots and pitch attitude increased to about 11 degrees. The Delta 757/767 Flight Crew Training Manual specifies that contact with the runway is possible with pitch attitude greater than 10.5 degrees, with flaps 25 and airspeed of 10 knots below Vref. The airplane rolled out and taxied to the gate uneventfully. While preparing the aircraft for the next flight the flight crew was informed by maintenance personnel of damage to the tail section of the aircraft. Aircraft inspection revealed an 8 foot scrape on the lower aft fuselage, damage to several stringers and buckling of the aft pressurization dome. ## Factual narrative On March 7, 2013, at 19:21 Eastern Standard Time, a Boeing 757-200, registration N698DL, operated by Delta Air Lines as flight 1693 from Orange County Airport, Santa Ana, California (KSNA) to the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia (KATL), experienced a tailstrike while landing on runway 28. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and there were no injuries to the 2 flight crew, 4 flight attendants, or 142 passengers. Weather at the time of the event was reported as winds from 340 degrees at 6 knots, clear skies and 10 miles visibility.According to the flight crew, the preflight, departure and enroute segments of the flight were normal. The approach was flown with a Vref speed of 129 knots and 25 degrees of flap. Upon landing, the first officer called "speedbrakes not activated" and manually deployed the speedbrakes. The captain reported he felt the airplane "float" and attempted to maintain landing attitude. FDR data indicated that the airplane made an initial touchdown, followed by a brief gear squat switch deactivation, consistent with a slight bounce or light touchdown; the speedbrakes were then manually deployed. Airspeed decayed to approximately 115 knots and pitch attitude increased to about 11 degrees. The Delta 757/767 Flight Crew Training Manual specifies that contact with the runway is possible with pitch attitude greater than 10.5 degrees, with flaps 25 and airspeed of 10 knots below Vref. The airplane rolled out and taxied to the gate uneventfully. While preparing the aircraft for the next flight the flight crew was informed by maintenance personnel of damage to the tail section of the aircraft. Aircraft inspection revealed an 8 foot scrape on the lower aft fuselage, damage to several stringers and buckling of the aft pressurization dome. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N698DL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N698DL), registered now, S/N 29911, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 757-232 - Registry model: [Boeing 757-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-232) (registry code 1384965) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW2037](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw2037) (registry code 52117, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 29911 - Airframe hours: 46669 - Engines: P & W PW2037 37530 lbs thrust turbo fan; P & W PW2037 37530 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Delta Air Lines Inc - Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 12, 2013 - Departed: KSNA, Santa Ana, CA - Destination: KATL, Atlanta, GA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KATL, Hartsfield/Jackson, runway 28, 9,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 4, 2013; seat: left; flight hours: 14,013 total, 2,018 in this make and model, 135 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days - Co-pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; seat: right; flight hours: 4,601 total, 158 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 340° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: KATL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130307006499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130307006499A), Mar 7, 2013: Boeing 757-232, Atl, GA, Substantial damage. Dal 1693 was landing rwy 28 Atl and had a major tail strike that caused structural damage to include an eight (8) foot tail scrape with internal damage below… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 31, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86416. 4.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389387&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Operations 2 - Captain statement (item 2, .PDF, 175 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389388&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20Captain%20statement-Redacted.PDF - Operations 2 - FO statement (item 3, .PDF, 167 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389389&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operations%202%20-%20FO%20statement-Redacted.PDF - Flight Data Recorder 10 - FDR plot (item 4, .PDF, 344 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389391&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%2010%20-%20FDR%20plot-Master.PDF - Photo of damage (item 5, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389390&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20of%20damage-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.