# NTSB DCA26LA282: Airbus A321-211, N382DN, New York, NY, July 14, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 14, 2026, 21:48 UTC - Place: New York, NY - Coordinates: 40.781109, -73.874162 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7811&lon=-73.8742&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: 194 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 22, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 203395 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA26LA282 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203395/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203395 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26LA282 ## Probable cause The first officer’s excessive aft sidestick input following a bounced landing, and the line check pilot’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in an increase in the airplane’s pitch attitude and a subsequent tailstrike. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Copilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A321-211, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=3940005), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A321-211, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=3940005), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Copilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus A321-211, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=3940005), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/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 A321-211, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md?model=3940005), [All aircraft, 124 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/091/sequence.md) ## Analysis Delta Air Lines flight 1181 experienced a tailstrike while attempting to land on runway 22 at Laguardia Airport (LGA), New York, New York. The scheduled domestic passenger flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121. The airplane sustained substantial damage and there were no injuries to the 6 crew and 188 passengers onboard. The captain, who was serving as the line check pilot (LCP), was providing operational experience (OE) training to the first officer (FO). The accident flight was their fourth leg together and the FO’s third as the pilot flying. According to the flight crew, the captain instructed the FO to hand-fly the arrival. The autopilot was disconnected at approximately 18,000 ft, and the autothrottles were disconnected at about 10,000 ft. The captain reported that the FO flew the arrival well, with no notable altitude or airspeed deviations until the final approach. During short final, the airplane's airspeed began to decrease below the target approach speed. The FO made a thrust adjustment; however, it was insufficient to arrest the airspeed decay. After the captain called out the airspeed deviation, the FO made an additional thrust correction. The flare was initiated slightly late, resulting in a firm touchdown and subsequent bounce. Following the bounce, the FO applied excessive aft sidestick input, and the airplane touched down a second time. The captain then assumed control of the airplane, lowered the nose, and initiated a go-around. After the go-around was established, the FO resumed control and completed a subsequent approach and landing without further incident. The flight attendants notified the flight deck that they heard a loud scraping noise during the landing attempt. Postlanding inspection of the airplane by the flight crew revealed substantial damage to the lower fuselage consistent with its contact with the runway. There was no reported mechanical malfunction that contributed to the excessive airplane pitch angle when the airplane touched down on the runway. The recorded flight data showed the airplane touched down at pitch angle of about 7° and a vertical acceleration of 1.91 gravitational force equivalent (g) and bounced. The airplane’s pitch angle increased to 10.02° before the left sidestick inputs associated with the go-around were recorded. The airplane’s longitudinal flight guidance mode changed to “Pitch GA” (pitch go-around) and the autothrust was engaged. The operator’s flight crew procedures for a bounced landing recovery include the instructions “hold or re-establish a normal landing attitude and add thrust as necessary to control the rate of descent. Thrust need not be added for a shallow bounce or skip. When a high hard bounce occurs initiate a go-around. Apply TOGA thrust and use normal go-around procedures. Do not allow the pitch attitude to increase…” Had the FO recognized the hard-bounce condition, promptly initiated a go-around, and not allowed the pitchto increase in accordance with company procedures, or had the LCP intervened sooner and assumed control to execute the bounced-landing recovery, the excessive pitch attitude and subsequent tailstrike likely would have been avoided. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N382DN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N382DN), registered now, S/N 8854, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBUS A321-211 - Registry model: [Airbus A321-211](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a321-211) (registry code 3940005) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-5B3/3 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-5b3-3-series) (registry code 13101, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 8854 - Year built: 2019 - Airframe hours: 21699 - Engines: CFM INTL CFM56-5B3/3 32000 lbs thrust turbo fan; CFM INTL CFM56-5B3/3 32000 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, July 13, 2026 - Departed: Fort Lauderdale, FL - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: LGA, Laguardia, runway 04/22, 7,002 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 6, 2026; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,482 total, 3,170 in this make and model, 6,757 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 29; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 3, 2026; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 2,879 total, 19 in this make and model, 1,537 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 32,000 ft broken - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: KLGA - METAR: METAR KLGA 142051Z 22014KT 10SM FEW200 SCT250 BKN320 33/20 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP133 FU BKN320 T03330200 58024 $ ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203395. 142 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20873001&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20dms_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight crew statements (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 629 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20873086&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Crew%20Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Delta fctm - bounced landing recovery (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 303 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=21072583&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=A320_FCTM_Bounced%20Landing%20Recovery_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Flight data recorder - specialist's factual report (item 4, PDF, 14 pages, 6 photos, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20961283&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Rel.pdf - Flight data recorder - specialist's factual report - ATTACHMENT1 - FDR tabular data (item 5, CSV, 137 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20973162&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorder%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Attachment1%20-%20FDR%20Tabular%20Data-Rel.csv 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.