# NTSB DCA19CA167: Boeing 757, N26123, Newark, NJ, June 15, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 15, 2019, 12:55 local (16:55 UTC) - Place: Newark, NJ - Coordinates: 40.692501, -74.168609 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6925&lon=-74.1686&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 272 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): 99634 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19CA167 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99634/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99634 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19CA167 ## Probable cause an improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and substantial damage. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Copilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing 757-224, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=1384958), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 757-224, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1384958), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis On June 15, 2019, about 12:55 eastern daylight time (EDT), United Airlines flight 627, a Boeing 757-224, N26123, experienced a hard landing at Newark International Airport (KEWR), Newark, New Jersey. There were no injuries to the 172 passengers and crew onboard, and the airplane received substantial damage. The flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Denver International Airport (KDEN), Denver, Colorado. The first officer (FO) was the pilot flying, and the captain was pilot monitoring. The takeoff, cruise, and decent were normal. The captain stated that it was an Initial Operating Experience (IOE) flight for the first officer. The auto speed brake system on the airplane was deferred in accordance with the Minimum Equipment List, and had been briefed, and all checklists had been completed. The captain stated that the FO flew a “solid” approach profile with few minor airspeed deviations, all of which were corrected immediately. The crew stated that during the descent to runway 22L the wind became gusty (220 degrees at 14 kts, gusting to 22 kts), and they increased the VREF speed in accordance with company procedures. At 500 feet, the airplane was on profile, on speed and stable. According to the crew the initial touchdown was smooth, on centerline, and in the touchdown zone. Upon touchdown on the main wheels, the captain manually deployed the speed brakes and the nose pitched up. To avoid a tailstrike, the captain said she physically blocked the yoke from moving back and instructed the FO to pitch forward. The airplane then bounced on the runway. The airplane was equipped with a L-3/Fairchild FA2100 Flight Data Recorder (FDR). FDR data showed that at 12:54:54 EDT, the airplane was on final approach to runway 22L with the autopilot off, glideslope mode engaged, and both flight directors on. At 12:55:14 EDT, with a pitch angle of 2.8 degrees, and the speed brake handle in the down (unarmed) position, the main landing gear (MLG) weight-on-wheels (WOW) parameter changed to GROUND. At 12:55:16 variations in the vertical acceleration, pitch, elevator, and control column parameters increased in magnitude. At 12:55:17, MLG WOW parameter changed back to AIR for one second, then back to GROUND for one second, then back to AIR for one second, before finally cycling back to GROUND. At 12:55:20 the nose gear WOW indicated GROUND for the first time, along with the largest magnitude vertical acceleration of 1.6042 g’s. Both left and right engine thrust reversers indicated deployed six seconds after initial MLG touchdown. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed extensive structural damage to the right and left forward area (41/43 station) of the fuselage. There was extensive damage to twelve skin panels, eleven severed RH stringers and twelve buckled LH stringer sections, multiple underlying damaged structural components, and damage to the nose landing gear andsupport structure ## Aircraft - Registration: [N26123](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N26123-2019-11-22), registration cancelled 2019-11-22, S/N 28966, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Boeing 757 (224) - Registry model: [Boeing 757-224](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-224) (registry code 1384958) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce RB-211-22 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-rb-211-22-series) (registry code 54554, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28966 - Year built: 1997 - Engines: Rolls Royce turbo fan; Rolls Royce turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Airlines - Registered owner: United Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: KDEN, Denver, CO - Destination: KEWR, Newark, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KEWR, Newarl International, runway 22L, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, waiver time limited special; last flight review February 24, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,847 total, 1,140 in this make and model, 1,537 as pilot in command, 123 in the last 90 days, 54 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 42; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 30, 2019; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 11,545 total, 4 in this make and model, 7,986 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 239° at 19 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: EWR ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190615007009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190615007009A), Jun 15, 2019: Boeing 757-224, Newark, NJ, Substantial damage. United flight UA627 landed on runway 22L. The aircraft's nose bounced Several times several feet in air before several main tires and the left Nose tire blew.… - [Accident 20190615023989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190615023989A), Jun 15, 2019: Boeing 757-224, Newark, NJ, Substantial damage. United flight UA627 landed on runway 22L. The aircraft's nose bounced several times several feet in air before several main tires and the left nose tire blew.… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 25, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99634. 12.6 MB in all. - Flight data recorder - specialista��s factual report (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3 photos, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8626935&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=final_factual_DCA19CA167-Rel.pdf - Flight data recorder - attachment 1 (FDR tabular data for event flight) (item 2, CSV, 7.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8625564&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Attachment%201%20to%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Flight%20Data%20Recorder-Rel.csv - Cockpit voice recorder (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 195 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11332811&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA19CA167_CVR_Factual-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 4, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12058307&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Flight%20627%20DEN%20EWR%20June%2015-DCA19CA167_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - captain (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 73 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12058147&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20from%20michelle.parker%20627-Rel.pdf - Employee statements - fo (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12058326&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20from%20nathan.ritter%20627-Rel.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.