# NTSB DCA22LA002: Boeing 757-224, N12125, Newark, NJ, September 27, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 27, 2021, 09:38 local (13:38 UTC) - Place: Newark, NJ - Coordinates: 40.692501, -74.168701 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6925&lon=-74.1687&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Tailstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 172 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): 104015 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA22LA002 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104015/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104015 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA22LA002 ## Probable cause The nose high attitude on landing resulted in a tailstrike. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action selection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew; cases with it: [Boeing 757-224, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md?model=1384958), [All aircraft, 397 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Tailstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 757-224, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=1384958), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md) ## Analysis United Airlines Flight 1117 experienced a tailstrike while landing at the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey. The captain was the pilot flying and receiving operational experience refresher (OER) training with a line check airman (LCA) who was the pilot monitoring and the pilot-in-command. All other phases of the flight were uneventful. According to the LCA, the captain suggested a go-around shortly after touchdown due to a significant pitch up, but the LCA thought the pitch was like the pitch up caused by ground spoiler deployment and advised the captain to continue the landing. However, the ground spoilers had not automatically deployed, and the airplane skipped and then began to bounce. The LCA took control of the airplane and attempted to execute a go-around, but because the engines had previously been placed in reverse thrust for the continuation of landing, the thrust levers would not advance so he elected to land on the remaining runway. According to United, during the LCA’s landing, the ground spoilers deployed normally. According to the aircraft manufacturer, a review of recorded data from the airplane revealed that prior to landing, the speedbrake lever had not been fully placed in its armed detent, which prevented automatic ground spoiler deployment upon landing. Additionally, operation of the reverse thrust levers to their deployed position would mechanically release the speedbrake lock mechanism and move the speedbrake lever out of the down-and-locked position into the armed detent position. This was evident in the recorded data and was likely the cause of the ground spoiler deployment being coincident with the thrust reverser deployment. The automatic ground spoiler deployment during the LCA’s landing resulted in an airplane nose-up pitch tendency (which is an expected aircraft behavior) for which the LCA failed to mitigate. As a result, the pitch attitude increased until the tail struck the runway. After the tailstrike, the remainder of the landing and landing rollout were normal with no risk of runway overrun or excursion. A post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead and frames. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N12125](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N12125), registered now, S/N 28967, built 1998 (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 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-rb-211-series) (registry code 54555, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28967 - Year built: 1998 - Airframe hours: 86507 - Engines: ROLLS-ROYC RB.211 SERIES 22000 lbs thrust turbo fan; ROLLS-ROYC RB.211 SERIES 22000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: United Airlines Inc., doing business as United - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Trust Co Na Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, September 25, 2021 - Departed: KDEN, Denver, CO - Destination: KEWR, Newark, NJ - Flight plan: VFR/IFR - Airport: KEWR, Newark Liberty International Airport, runway 22L, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 11,068 total, 3,683 in this make and model, 1,660 as pilot in command, 84 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Check pilot; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 15,400 total, 4,277 in this make and model, 10,300 as pilot in command, 203 in the last 90 days, 67 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 210° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 2988.00 inHg - Observed at: KEWR ## Other investigations on N12125 (1) 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. - [NTSB DCA24LA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA316), Sep 19, 2024: Boeing 757-224 (N12125), Dunnigan, CA, no damage. Probable cause: The abrupt pitch control input by the flight crew in response to a TCAS resolution advisory resulted in two serious passenger injuries. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104015. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13959909&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FSI%202021-14%20DCA22LA002%206120%20Report%20Flight%201117-27Sep21%20DENEWR%20B757-224%20N12125%20Landing%20Tailstrike%20Accident_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 137 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13960800&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Crew%20Statements-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.