- Date
- August 14, 2008, 12:52 local (17:52 UTC)
- Place
- St. Louis, MO
- Injuries
- 36 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N814HKEmbraer EMB-145LR
- Defining event
- Landing: Tailstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO, Trans States Airlines
- FAA report
- 20080814846459A
- Case key
- 68801
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The flying pilot's excessive angle of attack during the landing flare resulting in abnormal runway contact.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While en route to the destination airport, the first officer (FO) warned that his flaps 45 degrees landings are "a little extreme." The FO continues by stating that the landings are "a little non-standard, but it’s way more fun." The flight data recorder (FDR) showed an increase in the airplane's pitch angle at approximately 34 feet above ground level. The landing flare continued to increase to approximately 13 degrees of pitch angle with a corresponding angle of attack of 17 degrees. The airplane's stick shaker/stall warning system activated seconds before the landing, during which the airplane's tail section contacted the runway.
Factual narrative
While en route to the destination airport, the first officer (FO) warned that his flaps 45 degrees landings are "a little extreme." The FO continues by stating that the landings are "a little non-standard, but it’s way more fun." The flight data recorder (FDR) showed an increase in the airplane's pitch angle at approximately 34 feet above ground level. The landing flare continued to increase to approximately 13 degrees of pitch angle with a corresponding angle of attack of 17 degrees. The airplane's stick shaker/stall warning system activated seconds before the landing, during which the airplane's tail section contacted the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N814HK
- Reported as
- Embraer EMB-145LR
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 145046
- Airframe hours
- 24,511
- Engines
- Rolls-Royce AE 3007 A1, 7,426 lbs thrust, turbo fanRolls-Royce AE 3007 A1, 7,426 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Trans States Airlines, doing business as American Connection
- Registered owner
- Trans States Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 1, 2008
- Departed
- JAX · Jacksonville, FL
- Destination
- KSTL · St. Louis, MO
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KSTL · St. Louis International, runway 30R, 9,003 × 150 ft, concrete
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,800 total · 1,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- STL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.