British Airways A321neo strikes Heathrow runway with its tail twice, then lands on second try

What happened

Flight BA431, an Airbus A321neo operated by British Airways, was coming in from Amsterdam to London Heathrow on the morning of Thursday, 12 November. The aircraft, registered G-TNEB, touched runway 27L twice with its tail during the approach, according to reports based on footage. The pilots broke off the landing, climbed the jet to around 4,000 feet and flew a second approach. The aircraft landed on that second attempt roughly 14 minutes later, and no injuries were reported. Passengers were able to leave the plane normally after it came to a stop.

Footage and early reports

Video of the approach circulated online after the incident. Big Jet TV, an aviation platform with a live camera at the airport, captured the event, and its footage shows the jet bouncing after contact with the runway before the crew went around. The Telegraph, reporting on 13 November, described footage of the rear of the Airbus striking the surface after its flight from Amsterdam. Reports published on 13 November agree on the core sequence: two tail contacts, an abandoned landing and a safe touchdown on the second attempt. A source quoted by The Sun said the aircraft had been rocked by strong winds, though that source also said pilots usually keep such situations under control.

Airline response and investigation

British Airways said the aircraft landed safely and that it is supporting the AAIB, the British authority responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents. The airline gave a short statement and declined to say more because of legal considerations.

“The aircraft landed safely and we're assisting the AAIB with its investigation and are legally unable to comment further at this stage.”

The airline has taken the jet, which was built in 2023, out of operation and ordered technical checks. Reports so far do not say whether the two tail contacts caused damage to the aircraft. Investigators are expected to establish why the tail touched the runway twice during the first attempt.

Return to service and checks

British Airways had provisionally planned to return the aircraft to flying on 14 November. That timetable depends on the outcome of the technical inspections, and it is not yet confirmed. A tail strike can cause structural damage, and how serious that damage is depends partly on how hard the tail hits the ground. A tail strike usually happens when the nose of the aircraft is lifted too high during landing or take-off. Aircraft that suffer this kind of contact are normally inspected before they are allowed to fly again.

Open questions

Several points remain unclear. It is not yet known whether the A321neo was damaged in the two contacts, and the airline has not said when the checks will be complete. The official cause of the double contact has not been established, and the AAIB has not published findings. Passengers and crew were not hurt, but the investigation will determine whether any further action is needed.