# NTSB DCA19LA193: Airbus A321, N717FR, Orlando, FL, August 8, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 8, 2019, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Orlando, FL - Coordinates: 28.419879, -81.299156 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4199&lon=-81.2992&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: 232 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA PAI Denver, ALPA, Frontier Director of Safety and Security, Airbus - Technical Advisor to BEA, EASA - Technical Advisor to BEA, BEA Accredited Representatie - NTSB case key (mKey): 100023 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA19LA193 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100023/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA19LA193 ## Probable cause Encountering gusty conditions at a low altitude during landing and the crew’s decision to do a go-around at a low altitude with an excessive rotation rate. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition; cases with it: [Airbus A321-211, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=3940005), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot; cases with it: [Airbus A321-211, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=3940005), [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: Tailstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus A321-211, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=3940005), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md) ## Analysis The final approach was considered stabilized. At about 40 feet above ground level, a significant tailwind gust of about 25 knots was experienced, creating a loss of airspeed. The loss of airspeed resulted in a loss of lift at a low height and led to a hard touchdown. At about 10 feet above the runway (and before the hard touchdown) the flight crew set “TOGA” thrust for go-around and applied full back stick pressure resulting in a pitch increase to +9.2 degrees. The engines required time to spool up and the airplane lost altitude before it started to climb. The increase in pitch and delay in thrust caused the tailstrike, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The airplane was fitted with a tailstrike prevention option which appears on the primary flight director (PFD) when below 400 feet but deactivates when thrust levers are pushed to “TOGA”. Standard operating procedures for go-arounds near the ground inform flight crews to avoid an excessive rotation rate to prevent tailstrikes. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N717FR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N717FR), registered now, S/N 7536, built 2017 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Airbus A321 (211) - Registry model: [Airbus A321-211](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-211) (registry code 3940005) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-5B3/3 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-5b3-3-series) (registry code 13101, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7536 - Year built: 2017 - Airframe hours: 9504 - Engines: Cfm Intl CFM56-5B3/3; GE CFM56-5B3/3B1 turbo fan; Cfm Intl CFM56-5B3/3; GE CFM56-5B3/3B1 turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Frontier Airlines - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Trust Co Na Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: August 5, 2019 - Departed: PMW, PORTLAND, ME - Destination: MCO, ORLANDO, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MCO, Orlando International Airport, runway 18L, 12,005 × 200 ft, concrete - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Angle of attack indicator ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review April 26, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 10,854 total, 10,854 in this make and model, 2,047 as pilot in command, 103 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 45; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review September 9, 2017; seat: right; flight hours: 1,897 total, 1,897 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 191 in the last 90 days, 85 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 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 20190808023679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190808023679A), Aug 8, 2019: Airbus A321-211, Orlando, FL, Substantial damage. Date of event 08AUG2019 N717FR Flight 1187 Pwm - mco Overview: on 08 August 2019, N717FR experienced a hard landing, which resulted into a fuselage and a tail… 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.