# NTSB DCA14CA161: Boeing 757 223, N654A, Miami, FL, September 16, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 15, 2014, 20:27 local (Sep 16, 2014, 00:27 UTC)
- Place: Miami, FL
- Coordinates: 25.765832, -80.218887 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7658&lon=-80.2189&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 172 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 5, 2018
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 90092
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA14CA161
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90092/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90092
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA14CA161

## Probable cause

The failure of the first officer to control the airplane pitch after touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the first officers inexperience in the aircraft type.

## 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 · Copilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 757-223, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1384957), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Experience/qualifications: total experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031015): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Copilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 757-223, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031015/cases.md?model=1384957), [All aircraft, 126 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031015/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 757-223, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=1384957), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On September 15, 2014, at about 2027 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 2404, a B757-200, N654A, experienced a tail strike during landing at Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead and there were no injuries to the 172 passengers and crew onboard. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (KSJU), San Juan, Puerto Rico to KMIA. According to the operator, the first officer (FO) was the pilot flying and the captain was the pilot monitoring and was initial operating experience (IOE) training for the FO. The flight crew reported that they had the ILS tuned and the approach was stabilized. They reported that the main gear touchdown was smooth but that the nose came up rapidly before the captain could make the "deployed" call for the spoilers. The captain reportedly quickly grabbed the yoke and lowered the nose to the ground. Postflight maintenance inspection found damage to the aft fuselage skin and substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead.

## Factual narrative

On September 15, 2014, at about 2027 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 2404, a B757-200, N654A, experienced a tail strike during landing at Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead and there were no injuries to the 172 passengers and crew onboard. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (KSJU), San Juan, Puerto Rico to KMIA. According to the operator, the first officer (FO) was the pilot flying and the captain was the pilot monitoring and was initial operating experience (IOE) training for the FO. The flight crew reported that they had the ILS tuned and the approach was stabilized. They reported that the main gear touchdown was smooth but that the nose came up rapidly before the captain could make the "deployed" call for the spoilers. The captain reportedly quickly grabbed the yoke and lowered the nose to the ground. Postflight maintenance inspection found damage to the aft fuselage skin and substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N654A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N654A-2020-07-08), registration cancelled 2020-07-08, S/N 24612, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 757 223 (223)
- Registry model: [Boeing 757-223](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-223) (registry code 1384957) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce RB-211 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-rb-211-series) (registry code 54555, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 24612
- Year built: 1991
- Airframe hours: 71575.49
- Engines: ROLLS-ROYC RB.211 SERIES 42500 lbs thrust turbo fan; ROLLS-ROYC RB.211 SERIES 42500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: SJU, San Juan, PR
- Destination: MIA, Miami, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MIA, Miami Intl, runway 09, 13,016 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Check pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review January 26, 2014; seat: left; flight hours: 5,470 in this make and model
- Co-pilot; age 36; injuries: none; airline transport; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review August 19, 2014; seat: right; flight hours: 22 in this make and model
- Cabin crew; injuries: none
- Cabin crew; injuries: none
- Cabin crew; injuries: none
- Cabin crew; injuries: none

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 90° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90092. 50.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465877&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Photos - On-scene photos of lower fuselage skin and aft pressure bulkhead damage (item 2, .PDF, 13 photos, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465878&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos%20-%20On-scene%20photos%20of%20lower%20fuselage%20skin%20and%20aft%20pressure%20bulkhead%20damage-Master.PDF
- Flight Data Recorder - Specialist's Factual Report (item 3, .PDF, 289 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465879&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF
- Flight Data Recorder - Specialist's Factual Report - Attachment 1 (item 4, .CSV, 43.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465880&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Attachment%201-Master.csv
- Cockpit Voice Recorder Factual (item 5, .PDF, 230 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465881&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cockpit%20Voice%20Recorder%20Factual-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.

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