# NTSB DCA24LA065: Boeing 737, N62883, Houston, TX, January 10, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: January 10, 2024, 10:10 local (16:10 UTC)
- Place: Houston, TX
- Coordinates: 29.9931, -95.3416 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9931&lon=-95.3416&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: 185 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193637
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA24LA065
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193637/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193637
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA065

## Probable cause

The airplane’s aft fuselage impacted the runway as a result of a delayed flare and subsequent nose-high pitch inputs during the aircraft’s multiple touchdowns.

## Findings

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

- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Copilot; cases with it: [Boeing 737-924ER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=13848A3), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/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 737-924ER, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=13848A3), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md)

## Analysis

United Airlines flight 2498 experienced a tail strike while landing at George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona to IAH. The flight crew statements and flight data showed a stable approach to the landing flare. The first officer was pilot flying and stated he began the flare slightly late. Both crewmembers stated the touchdown was firm with a slight “nose-high” bounce. The flight crew was not aware the airplane’s tail had impacted the runway until the ground crew at the gate notified them. Flight data showed that the airplane touched down on the runway with a 6.5-degree nose-up attitude and vertical acceleration of 1.87g. The speed brakes deployed two seconds after the initial touchdown. At the same time, the aircraft became airborne again and the nose began to lower. Two seconds later, as the speed brakes retracted, the airplane’s pitch began to increase, and the airplane touched down a second time with pitch of 7.2 degrees and a vertical acceleration of about 2.87g. The airplane became airborne for a 3rd time for about a second before it touched down for the final time. The nose was lowered to the ground, and speed brakes were extended again. Post-accident assessment of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to the auxiliary power unit (APU) firewall bulkhead that occurred as a result of the aircraft’s aft fuselage’s contact with the runway.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N62883](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N62883), registered now, S/N 42202, built 2015 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737 (9)
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-924ER](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-924er) (registry code 13848A3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-7B27E series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-7b27e-series) (registry code 13078, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 883
- Year built: 2015
- Airframe hours: 25323
- Engines: CFM CFM56-7B27E/F 27300 lbs thrust turbo fan; CFM CFM56-7B27E/F 27300 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: United Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: United Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Commuter; Standard, Transport; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 18, 2023
- Departed: PHX, Phoenix, AZ
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KIAH, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport, runway 27, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; flight engineer, airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 9, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 31,700 total, 21,200 in this make and model, 18,540 as pilot in command, 180 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 45; injuries: none; commercial, private, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 28, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 5,187 total, 896 in this make and model, 962 as pilot in command, 155 in the last 90 days, 106 in the last 30 days, 51 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Lowest ceiling: none

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 17, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193637. 3.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16993436&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20DCA24LA065_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Captain statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16920710&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA24LA065%20UA2498%20CA%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- First officer statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16921397&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA24LA065%20UA2498%20FO%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Flight data recorder specialist's factual report (item 4, PDF, 10 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16921429&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FDR%20Factual%20DCA24LA065-Rel.pdf
- Cockpit voice recorder - email report (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 169 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17001757&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CVR%20-%20Email%20Report-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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