# NTSB DCA22LA178: Boeing 757-251, N540US, Atlanta, GA, August 7, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 6, 2022, 21:15 local (Aug 7, 2022, 01:15 UTC)
- Place: Atlanta, GA · runway 10
- Coordinates: 33.6407, -84.4277 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6407&lon=-84.4277&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: 203 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 AVP-100, Delta Air Lines, Delta ALPA Safety
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105714
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA22LA178
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105714/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105714
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA22LA178

## Probable cause

The overpitch control of the airplane during landing resulting in a tail strike.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Boeing 757-251, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=1384970), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Flight crew; cases with it: [Boeing 757-251, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1384970), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew; cases with it: [Boeing 757-251, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=1384970), [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: [Boeing 757-251, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=1384970), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md)

## Analysis

Delta Air Lines flight 1696 sustained a tailstrike while landing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Atlanta, GA. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL) to ATL. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and there were no injuries to the 203 passengers and crew onboard. According to the flight crew, the captain was the pilot monitoring, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot flying. The captain reported that he was providing operational experience to the FO and that it was the FO’s first time landing the Boeing 757-200 model airplane. The airplane was in the landing configuration with flaps at 25 and on a stabilized approach at 1000 ft above ground level (AGL) on final approach to Runway 10 in night visual condition. After touchdown, the speed brakes deployed, and the FO reported that he applied too much aft pressure on the yoke causing the plane to lift back off the ground and the captain executed a “go-around” procedure. At this time the captain assumed the pilot flying role, and the airplane landed uneventfully. Both the captain and FO reported they had no indications of a tailstrike on the flight deck, they did not receive any passenger or flight attendant reports of any abnormalities and were unaware a tailstrike had occurred until the plane was inspected by maintenance later.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N540US](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N540US), registered now, S/N 26487, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 757-251
- Registry model: [Boeing 757-251](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-251) (registry code 1384970) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW2037](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw2037) (registry code 52117, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 26487
- Year built: 1996
- Airframe hours: 7812.58
- Engines: P & W PW2037 37530 lbs thrust turbo fan; P & W PW2037 37530 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner: Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 3, 2022
- Departed: KFLL, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KATL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International, runway Runway 10, 9,000 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; commercial, private, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review August 16, 2022; seat: left; flight hours: 12,257 total, 1,340 in this make and model, 174 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; last flight review July 15, 2022; seat: right; flight hours: 203 total, 0 in this make and model, 10 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 70° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observed at: KATL

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 16, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105714. 8.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15000045&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA22LA178%20-%206120_Final_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Employee statements - captain (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15000562&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=II22-104%20-%20DAL%20Flight%20Safety%20-%20Tail%20Strike%20KATL%20-%20Cap%20Gamblin%20Stmt%20-%20DL1696%2006AUG22%20FLL-ATL_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Employee statements - first officer (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15000222&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=II22-104%20-%20DAL%20Flight%20Safety%20-%20Tail%20Strike%20KATL%20-%20FO%20Rochelle%20Stmt%20-%20DL1696%2006AUG22%20FLL-ATL_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Meteorology specialist's factual report (item 4, PDF, 12 pages, 938 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15211967&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WX_DCA22LA178_Specialists_Factual-Rel.pdf
- Cockpit voice recorder - specialist's factual report (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 180 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15213332&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FINAL_DCA22LA178_CVR-Rel.pdf
- Flight data recorder - specialist's factual report (item 6, PDF, 17 pages, 10 photos, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15430684&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA22LA178%20-%20FDR%20-%20FINAL-Rel.pdf
- Flight data recorder - attachment 1 (csv data for accident flight - compressed) (item 7, ZIP, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15430979&FileExtension=zip&FileName=DCA22LA178_CSV_COMPRESSED-Rel.zip

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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