NW A320 tailstrike on landing at DEN

[DHG750R]

From http://www.avherald.com

Accident: Northwest A320 at Denver on May 4th 2009, tail strike on landing
By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, May 8th 2009 20:53Z, last updated Friday, May 8th 2009 20:53Z

A Northwest Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N311US performing flight NW-557 from Minneapolis,MN to Denver,CO (USA), was landing on runway 16L at about 12:20 local (18:20Z), when the airplane struck the ground with its tail resulting in or as result of a 3.3G acceleration. The airplane slowed down and taxied to the gate, where a postflight inspection revealed so substantial damage to the airframe, that the airplane may be written off. No injuries have been reported.

The return flight NW-1590 had to be cancelled.

Metars:
KDEN 042053Z 01009G17KT 10SM SCT080 BKN100 BKN200 19/01 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP077 VIRGA T01890006 50001
KDEN 041953Z 01009G17KT 10SM SCT080 BKN100 BKN200 18/00 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP080 VIRGA T01780000 $
KDEN 041853Z 33013G17KT 10SM SCT080 SCT100 BKN200 18/M01 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP078 T01781006 $
KDEN 041753Z 25004KT 10SM SCT080 SCT100 BKN200 17/01 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP080 T01670006 10178 20072 58013 $

[cancidas]

...revealed so substantial damage to the airframe, that the airplane may be written off.

wow! i wanna see pix...

[LGA777]

LGA777 predicts about a 95 pct chance this bus will be a W/O because of the particiliar ship involved and here's why. N311US is c/n 125 built in 1990, pretty old in A-320 years. N301US thru N308US the first 8 NW A-320's have already been retired, several already scrapped. 309 and 310 where also parked at Marana but have been returned to service. 311US is in the old bowling shoe colors which are the Airbusses being repainted in DL colors first, not sure if this was on that list because of her age. And finally with the new merged airline needing less airframes it makes even more sense.

Time will tell

LGA777

[lijk604]

What I find interesting is that they were landing on 16L, at 1820z, the METAR for that time period shows that the winds were shifting from 250 at 1753 to 330 @ 1853! Quick math will tell you these guys landed with a tailwind, and being DEN were reporting gusts at 1853, I think the crew should have requested to land on 34R...even if it meant a 10 minute airborne hold to resequence.

KDEN 041853Z 33013G17KT 10SM SCT080 SCT100 BKN200 18/M01 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP078 T01781006 $
KDEN 041753Z 25004KT 10SM SCT080 SCT100 BKN200 17/01 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP080 T01670006 10178 20072 58013 $

[PhilDernerJr]

It's fun putting that knowledge to work, huh John? :)

[lijk604]

yes it is :D

[DHG750R]

I agree, I've seen the same kind of things at LGA. Ron and I have seen some flights land during changing conditions at LGA which left us holding our breaths. Landing and taking off with excessive tailwinds, in thunderstorms, etc. It may not always be dangerous, but probably not wise either.

Darrell