# NTSB DCA14LA137: Boeing 757, N553UA, San Diego, CA, July 30, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 29, 2014, 22:40 local (Jul 30, 2014, 05:40 UTC) - Place: San Diego, CA - Coordinates: 32.733055, -117.188056 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7331&lon=-117.1881&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: 174 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 89806 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA14LA137 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89806/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89806 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA14LA137 ## Probable cause the first officer's failure to maintain the correct airspeed and pitch attitude during landing that resulted in a tailstrike. ## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 757-222, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1384956), [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 757-222, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=1384956), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md) ## Analysis On July 29, 2014, about 2240 pacific daylight time, United Airlines flight 345, a Boeing 757-222, N553UA, experienced a tailstrike while landing at the San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Diego, California. There were no injuries to the 174 persons onboard. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas, to SAN. According to the operator, the first officer (FO) was the pilot flying and the captain was the pilot monitoring. The accident flight was the second flight of the day for both crew members. The climb, cruise, and descent portions of the flight were uneventful. The airplane was configured for a flaps 30 landing with the autopilot off for the visual approach to runway 27. The target airspeed for the landing was 130 knots, 5 knots above VREF. An airplane performance study was completed based on the FDR data from the flight. The study showed the wind was constant during the final descent to the runway with about a 4-knot headwind component. At about 50 feet radio altitude, the FO began to gradually pull back on the column until the elevators deflected 12 degrees airplane nose up at touchdown. Touchdown occurred with a sink rate near 0, a pitch attitude of about 6 degrees and an airspeed of 120 knots (5 knots below VREF). After touchdown, thrust was commanded to idle and the speedbrakes were deployed. The FO then began to gradually release column backpressure; however, pitch attitude continued to increase towards the gear-struts-compressed tail strike pitch attitude. The airplane's pitch attitude eventually exceeded the gear struts compressed tail strike attitude of 10.5 degrees. The FO commanded reverse thrust as the tail strike occurred and then increased to maximum reverse thrust after derotation had occurred. Published Flight Operations Technical Bulletins issued by the manufacturer in 1988 and 1990 instructed pilots to immediately lower the nose after touchdown (i.e. apply forward pressure) and warned pilots that bleeding off airspeed below VREF prior to touchdown will increase body attitude and thereby increase the likelihood of a tail strike. In this accident, touchdown occurred about 5 knots below VREF and the nose-up elevator remained for nearly 3.5 seconds, causing the aft fuselage to contact the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed substantial abrasion damage to two aft, lower skin panels spanning an area about 4 feet long by 1.5 feet wide. In addition, the forward and aft lower chords on the aft pressure bulkhead (APB) were deformed and the lower APB web was buckled. ## Factual narrative On July 29, 2014, about 2240 pacific daylight time, United Airlines flight 345, a Boeing 757-222, N553UA, experienced a tailstrike while landing at the San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Diego, California. There were no injuries to the 174 persons onboard. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas, to SAN. According to the operator, the first officer (FO) was the pilot flying and the captain was the pilot monitoring. The accident flight was the second flight of the day for both crew members. The climb, cruise, and descent portions of the flight were uneventful. The airplane was configured for a flaps 30 landing with the autopilot off for the visual approach to runway 27. The target airspeed for the landing was 130 knots, 5 knots above VREF. An airplane performance study was completed based on the FDR data from the flight. The study showed the wind was constant during the final descent to the runway with about a 4-knot headwind component. At about 50 feet radio altitude, the FO began to gradually pull back on the column until the elevators deflected 12 degrees airplane nose up at touchdown. Touchdown occurred with a sink rate near 0, a pitch attitude of about 6 degrees and an airspeed of 120 knots (5 knots below VREF). After touchdown, thrust was commanded to idle and the speedbrakes were deployed. The FO then began to gradually release column backpressure; however, pitch attitude continued to increase towards the gear-struts-compressed tail strike pitch attitude. The airplane's pitch attitude eventually exceeded the gear struts compressed tail strike attitude of 10.5 degrees. The FO commanded reverse thrust as the tail strike occurred and then increased to maximum reverse thrust after derotation had occurred. Published Flight Operations Technical Bulletins issued by the manufacturer in 1988 and 1990 instructed pilots to immediately lower the nose after touchdown (i.e. apply forward pressure) and warned pilots that bleeding off airspeed below VREF prior to touchdown will increase body attitude and thereby increase the likelihood of a tail strike. In this accident, touchdown occurred about 5 knots below VREF and the nose-up elevator remained for nearly 3.5 seconds, causing the aft fuselage to contact the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed substantial abrasion damage to two aft, lower skin panels spanning an area about 4 feet long by 1.5 feet wide. In addition, the forward and aft lower chords on the aft pressure bulkhead (APB) were deformed and the lower APB web was buckled. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N553UA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N553UA-2017-01-19), registration cancelled 2017-01-19, S/N 25277, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING 757 (222) - Registry model: [Boeing 757-222](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-222) (registry code 1384956) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW2040](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw2040) (registry code 52121, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25277 - Year built: 1992 - Airframe hours: 72854 - Engines: P & W PW2040 18150 horsepower turbo fan; P & W PW2040 18150 horsepower turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Airlines - Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Company Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 18, 2014 - Departed: IAH, HOUSTON, TX - Destination: SAN, San Diego, CA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: SAN, San Diego Intl, runway 27, 9,400 × 200 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 15, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 19,400 total, 7,000 in this make and model, 16,000 as pilot in command - Co-pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 4, 2014; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 6,000 total, 258 in this make and model, 3,000 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 300° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg ## 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 20140729014389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140729014389A), Jul 29, 2014: Boeing 757-222, San Diego, CA, Substantial damage. Immediately after touchdown the airplane nose pitched up abruptly causing the tail to strike the runway. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89806. 25.3 MB in all. - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 1, .PDF, 253 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485321&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Flight Data Recorder Spcialist's Report (item 2, .PDF, 470 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485322&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20Spcialist%27s%20Report-Master.PDF - Flight Data Recorder Specialist's Factual Report - Attachment 1 (item 3, .CSV, 22.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485323&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Attachment%201-Master.csv - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 4, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485324&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.