# NTSB DCA18CA266: Boeing 757, N192AN, Philadelphia, PA, July 31, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 31, 2018, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place: Philadelphia, PA
- Coordinates: 39.874443, -75.2425
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8744&lon=-75.2425&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: 181 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 98079
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA18CA266
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98079/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA18CA266

## Probable cause

The captain's improper control of the airplane during the landing flare.

## 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 757-223, 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)

## 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 757-223, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=1384957), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md)

## Analysis

On July 31, 2018, about 1315 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 89, a Boeing 757-223, N192AN, experienced a hard landing at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There were no injuries to the 181 passengers and crew onboard. The airplane was substantially damaged. The regularly scheduled international passenger flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 from Shannon International Airport (SNN), Shannon, Ireland, to PHL. The captain was the pilot flying and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. The flight crew stated that the ILS 09R approach was normal and the airplane landed in the touchdown zone. The captain stated that as the airplane touched down the nose pitched up abruptly when the spoilers auto-deployed but that he quickly countered the pitch up and flew the nose back on to the runway. As the flight was taxiing to the gate a flight attendant called on the interphone to inform the crew that they had heard an unusual noise during landing. At the time of landing, the winds were reported to be from 130 degrees at 5 knots, with no gusts. Postflight examination of the airplane found that the aft pressure bulkhead was buckled. The skin was worn through around Station (STA) 1720 to the pressure bulkhead, and the skin was wrinkled from STA 1701 to STA 1743 and Stringer 23L to 23R.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N192AN](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N192AN-2025-03-05), registration cancelled 2025-03-05, S/N 32386, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Boeing 757 (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: 32386
- Year built: 2001
- Airframe hours: 60494
- Engines: Rolls-Royce turbo fan; Rolls-Royce turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines
- Registered owner: American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 30, 2018
- Departed: SNN, Shannon, OF
- Destination: KPHL, Philadelphia, PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KPHL, Philadelphia Int'l, runway 9R, 12,000 × 200 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 15, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 22,181 total, 2,514 in this make and model, 11,567 as pilot in command, 123 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 49; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 4,598 total, 3,327 in this make and model, 56 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 21 °F
- Observed at: PHL

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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