# NTSB DCA23LA278: Airbus A321-231, N921US, Charlotte, NC, May 5, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 5, 2023, 04:54 local (08:54 UTC)
- Place: Charlotte, NC
- Coordinates: 35.215878, -80.950875
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2159&lon=-80.9509&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: 177 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): 135369
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA23LA278
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/135369/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=135369
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA23LA278

## Probable cause

The captain’s failure to maintain the appropriate 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 A321-231, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=3940032), [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 A321-231, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=3940032), [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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A321-231, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=3940032), [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-flare/touchdown: Tailstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus A321-231, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=3940032), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md)

## Analysis

American Airlines flight 1753 sustained a tailstrike while landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Charlotte, NC. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Fort Lauderdale, FL to CLT. According to the flight crew, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer (FO) was the pilot monitoring when they were cleared to land on runway 18L at CLT. The airplane was in the landing configuration and on a stabilized approach at 1,000 ft. above ground level (AGL). While crossing the runway’s threshold the wind shifted from a 6 -7 knot headwind component to a 6–7 knot tailwind component, the airspeed began to decay, and the airplane’s sink rate increased. In an effort to correct for the sink rate the captain applied back sidestick. The airplane touched down firmly and bounced, coincidentally the ground spoilers deployed which resulted in a nose high attitude. The airplane touched down a second time decelerated and taxied uneventfully to the gate. The captain stated that the ground spoiler deployment coinciding with the bounced 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, and subsequent touchdown the remainder of the landing and landing rollout were normal with no risk of runway overrun or excursion. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage along the aft lower fuselage, over an area of about 14 feet long by 2 feet wide. An inspection revealed substantial damage to several frames.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N921US](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N921US), registered now, S/N 6523, built 2015 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A321-231
- Registry model: [Airbus A321-231](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-231) (registry code 3940032) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [IAE V2533-A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/iae-v2533-a5) (registry code 34611, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 6523
- Year built: 2015
- Engines: IAE V2533-A5 31600 lbs thrust turbo fan; IAE V2533-A5 31600 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: American Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: American Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: CLT, Charlotte/Douglas Intl, runway 18L, 8,677 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; flight engineer, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 17, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 1,744 in this make and model
- Co-pilot; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial, flight engineer, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 6, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 652 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observed at: KCLT
- METAR: KCLT 052052Z 23009KT 10SM FEW065 SCT250 23/07 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP220 T02330067 57013

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=135369. 4.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15683979&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20dms_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight crewmember statements (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15682197&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Flight%20Crew%20Statements%20AAL%201753-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 166 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15720024&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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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