Created Friday, Sep 24th 2021 16:34Z, last updated Wednesday, Jul 20th 2022 08:48Z
A Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A321-200N, registration N208HA performing flight
HA-43 from San Jose,CA to Honolulu,HI (USA) with 128 passengers and 6 crew, was on final approach to Honolulu's runway 04R when the crew initiated a go around from very low height (below 50 feet AGL) at 09:20L (19:20Z), climbed to 3000 feet maintaining routine communication and returned for a landing on runway 04R about 15 minutes after the go around at 09:35L (19:35Z) still maintaining routine communication.
The FAA reported providing the time stamp of the go around: "AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE DURING LANDING AT HONOLULU, HI (HNL)", the aircraft sustained minor damage. The occurrence was rated an incident.
On Oct 7th 2021 the NTSB reported the aircraft sustained substantial damage and rated the occurrence an accident. The occurrence is being investigated by the NTSB.
On Jul 20th 2022 the NTSB released their final report and investigation docket concluding the probable cause of the accident was:
The captain’s improper landing flare, which resulted in an excessive sink rate and subsequent hard landing.
The NTSB analysed:
According to the operator, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring for the flight from the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Jose, California to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. The taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, and descent phases of the flight were uneventful. The crew was vectored for the ILS approach to runway 4R at HNL. The ILS approach was uneventful with the crew achieving all of Hawaiian Airlines stabilized approach criteria at both the 1000 ft and 500 ft AGL.
The approach remained uneventful until the flare was initiated at approximately 25 feet AGL. Winds were reported to be approximately 11 kts with gusting up to 18 kts. At this point the captain reported that he felt the aircraft had an accelerated sink rate. To arrest the sink rate, he initiated a slight increase in pitch angle. He then heard an automated audible pitch alert generated by the aircraft and then felt a firm bounce of the aircraft upon initial touchdown. The crew initiated a go-around and had an uneventful approach and landing on runway 04R. Following the landing the crew completed an uneventful taxi and shutdown at the gate.
The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage over an area of about 14 feet long by 2 feet wide along the aft lower fuselage. There also were several fractures to the internal cargo lining support structure and to at least one frame.
