# NTSB DCA22LA004: Airbus A321-271N, N208HA, Honolulu, HI, September 23, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 23, 2021, 09:44 local (19:44 UTC) - Place: Honolulu, HI - Coordinates: 21.318701, -157.92199 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3187&lon=-157.9220&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: 134 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: Hawaiian Airlines Senior Manager - NTSB case key (mKey): 104043 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA22LA004 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104043/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104043 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA22LA004 ## Probable cause The captain’s improper landing flare, which resulted in an excessive sink rate and subsequent hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot; cases with it: [Airbus A321-271N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=3930910), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/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 A321-271N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=3930910), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the operator, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring for the flight from the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Jose, California to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. The taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, and descent phases of the flight were uneventful. The crew was vectored for the ILS approach to runway 4R at HNL. The ILS approach was uneventful with the crew achieving all of Hawaiian Airlines stabilized approach criteria at both the 1000 ft and 500 ft AGL. The approach remained uneventful until the flare was initiated at approximately 25 feet AGL. Winds were reported to be approximately 11 kts with gusting up to 18 kts. At this point the captain reported that he felt the aircraft had an accelerated sink rate. To arrest the sink rate, he initiated a slight increase in pitch angle. He then heard an automated audible pitch alert generated by the aircraft and then felt a firm bounce of the aircraft upon initial touchdown. The crew initiated a go-around and had an uneventful approach and landing on runway 04R. Following the landing the crew completed an uneventful taxi and shutdown at the gate. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage over an area of about 14 feet long by 2 feet wide along the aft lower fuselage. There also were several fractures to the internal cargo lining support structure and to at least one frame. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N208HA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N208HA), registered now, S/N 8123, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBUS A321-271N - Registry model: [Airbus A321-271N](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-271n) (registry code 3930910) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [IAE PW1133G-JM](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-pw1133g-jm) (registry code 34600, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 8123 - Year built: 2018 - Airframe hours: 725421 - Engines: IAE PW1133G-JM 33110 lbs thrust turbo fan; IAE PW1133G-JM 33110 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Hawaiian Airlines Inc - Registered owner: Hawaiian Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, September 15, 2021 - Departed: KSJC, San Jose, CA - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: PHNL, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, runway 04R, 9,002 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Onboard weather, Data recorder, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 16, 2021; seat: left; flight hours: 9,319 total, 1,644 in this make and model, 1,346 as pilot in command, 158 in the last 90 days, 54 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 16, 2021; seat: right; flight hours: 185 total, 185 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours - Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: left; restraint: 3-point - Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: right; restraint: 3-point - Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: left; restraint: 3-point - Cabin crew; injuries: none; seat: center; restraint: 3-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 11 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: ATIS PHNL ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104043. 10.9 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=14009192&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14008497&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Hawaiian%20Airlines%20Flight%2043%20Flight%20Crew%20Statements-Rel.pdf - Operator provide damage assessment (item 3, PDF, 10 pages, 8.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14009924&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N208HA%20Operator%20Provided%20Tail%20Strike%20Damage-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.