# NTSB DCA23LA221: Airbus A320-232, N1902U, Houston, TX, March 22, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 22, 2023, 17:26 local (22:26 UTC)
- Place: Houston, TX
- Coordinates: 29.9778, -95.3057
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9778&lon=-95.3057&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: 156 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): 106964
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA23LA221
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106964/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106964
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA221

## Probable cause

The first officer's failure to maintain the correct airspeed and pitch attitude during landing which resulted in a tailstrike.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A320-232, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=3940004), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A320-232, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=3940004), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Copilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A320-232, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=3940004), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [Airbus A320-232, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=3940004), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md)

## Analysis

United Airlines flight 1091 sustained a tailstrike while landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH), Houston, TX. The flight was a regularly scheduled international passenger flight from Mexico City, Mexico to KIAH. According to the flight crew, the captain was the pilot monitoring, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot flying when they were cleared for the visual approach to runway 27 at KIAH. The airplane was in the landing configuration and on a stabilized approach at 1,000 ft. above ground level (AGL). About 60 ft AGL the captain noticed the airspeed begin to decay and stated watch your speed. The FO subsequently pitched the nose of the airplane down and added a little thrust. About 30 ft AGL, due to a higher-than-normal rate of descent the captain commanded flare, flare, flare. The FO flared the airplane which resulted in a firm landing. As the airplane rebounded from the firm landing the spoilers deployed resulting in a nose high attitude. In an effort to correct for the nose high attitude, the captain and FO pushed forward on their respective sidesticks. The FO stated that the ground spoiler deployment coinciding with the firm touchdown resulted in an airplane nose-up pitch attitude. 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. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage over an area of about 19 feet long by 1 foot wide along the aft lower fuselage. An inspection revealed substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead and frames.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1902U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1902U), registered now, S/N 2714, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A320-232
- Registry model: [Airbus A320-232](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a320-232) (registry code 3940004) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [IAE V2527-A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2527-a5) (registry code 34604, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2714
- Year built: 2006
- Airframe hours: 22194
- Engines: International Aero Enignes V2527-A5 26500 lbs thrust turbo fan; International Aero Engines V2527-A5 26500 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: United Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: United Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, January 19, 2023
- Departed: MMMX, Mexico City, OF
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: IAH, George Bush Intcntl/Houston, runway 27, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 13, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 19,045 total, 10,100 in this make and model, 5,315 as pilot in command, 260 in the last 90 days, 41 in the last 30 days
- Co-pilot; age 38; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 10, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 3,550 total, 104 in this make and model, 1,705 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observed at: KIAH, 1 nm away
- METAR: METAR KIAH 222253Z 17013G21KT 10SM SCT036 26/18 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP167 T02610183=

## 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 20230322006649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230322006649A), Mar 22, 2023: Airbus A320-232, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. [privacy data omitted] First officer / co-pilot had limited experence and was limited to 15 KIAS direct cross wind landing. Winds were gusting at the time of…

## Other investigations on N1902U (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 DCA20CA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA20CA058), Jan 10, 2020: Airbus A320 (N1902U), New Orleans, LA, no damage. Probable cause: an encounter with convectively induced turbulence while overflying an area of known convective activity.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106964. 3.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15621925&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight crew statements (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15621449&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%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.

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