Terrifying Moment British Airways Plane’s Tail Strikes Runway During Landing at Heathrow, Forcing Pilots to Abort
A British Airways flight carrying as many as 220 passengers was involved in a frightening landing incident at London Heathrow Airport after its tail struck the runway during an attempted touchdown, forcing the pilots to pull the aircraft back into the air at the last moment.
The dramatic incident unfolded at approximately 11am on November 13, when the Airbus A321neo came down on its left-side landing gear but failed to complete a normal landing. Instead, the aircraft’s tailfin made contact with the runway, prompting the pilots to abandon the approach and climb back into the sky.
Passengers were reportedly thrown forward in their seats as the aircraft made contact with the tarmac. Screams could be heard inside the cabin, with those onboard initially unaware of what had gone wrong.
The terrifying sequence was captured on video by a plane-spotter watching the aircraft approach Heathrow from nearby. The footage shows the British Airways jet descending towards the runway before its tail appears to strike the ground, followed by the aircraft climbing away rather than continuing its landing.
Passengers Left Frightened as Aircraft Aborts Landing
According to a source familiar with the incident, the aircraft was being buffeted by strong winds as it approached the airport.
However, the circumstances surrounding the unusual landing attempt have raised questions about what happened in the cockpit during those critical moments.
Describing the incident, the source said: “This is most irregular. There were screams. No-one knew what was happening.
“This near-crash is very rare. The plane was buffeted by high winds, but usually the pilots have this scenario under control.
“An investigation will get to the bottom of what happened.”
The aircraft’s sudden movement reportedly caused passengers to lurch forward in their seats, adding to the confusion and fear inside the cabin as the pilots worked to regain control and complete the manoeuvre.
Early Investigation Points to Possible Cockpit Misjudgement
The incident is now being examined by investigators, with early findings reportedly suggesting that a possible “misjudgement” in the cockpit may have contributed to the failed landing attempt.
Insiders said preliminary investigations had pointed towards this possibility, although the precise circumstances have yet to be established.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), the UK body responsible for examining civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents, was notified of the occurrence on the night of November 13.
Investigators are expected to establish exactly what happened during the approach, including the role played by the challenging weather conditions and the decisions made by the flight crew.
British Airways Jet Taken Out of Service for Engineering Checks
The aircraft involved was British Airways Flight BA431, which had departed Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam for its journey to London.
Despite the frightening first landing attempt, the pilots eventually managed to bring the aircraft down safely on a second approach.
The flight lasted approximately one hour and 35 minutes before the plane completed its landing at Heathrow. Following the incident, the aircraft was immediately taken out of service for engineering inspections and checks.
British Airways declined to provide further details initially, citing legal reasons while the investigation was ongoing.
A spokesperson for the airline subsequently confirmed that everyone aboard had been brought to a safe landing and that the company was cooperating with the investigation.
“The aircraft landed safely and we’re assisting the AAIB with its investigation and are legally unable to comment further at this stage,” the spokesperson said.
Although the aircraft ultimately landed without the incident being reported as a crash, the tail strike and subsequent aborted landing have prompted an official investigation into one of the more unusual landing incidents at Heathrow.