Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 19 May 1999
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-11F
Owner/operator: Delta Air Lines
Registration Number: N813DE
Location: Cambridge Airport, Teversham, Cambridge – ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Tail stickTail stick
Investigating Agency: AAIBAAIB
Category: Accident
On 19-5-1999, an aircraft struck its tail on landing at Cambridge Airport. The incident resulted in damage to the rear of the fuselage, antennae, drains, and access doors. The aircraft’s pitch increased rapidly during the approach, leading to a maneuver that resulted in a tail strike. The aircraft landed uneventfully.On 19-5-1999, an aircraft struck its tail on landing at Cambridge Airport. The incident resulted in damage to the rear of the fuselage, antennae, drains, and access doors. The aircraft’s pitch increased rapidly during the approach, leading to a maneuver that resulted in a tail strike. The aircraft landed uneventfully.

Description

On 19-5-1999, the aircraft suffered a tail stick on landing on runway 05 at Cambridge Airport. The accident caused general damage to rear underside of fuselage, antennae, drains and access doors; Buckling to rear pressure bulkhead. None of the three crew was injured. According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the incident: “The aircraft suffered a tail strike on landing from a visual approach to Runway 05 at Cambridge. The weather was good and the surface wind was 090 degrees/5 to 7 knots. The usable landing distance beyond the threshold is 5,735 feet. A major amount of the debris from the tail strike was found between 1,350 and 1,550 feet from the threshold. The commander reported that the approach was stable but when he started to lower the nose after touchdown the pitch attitude increased rapidly. He was unsure whether the aircraft was still on the runway and, as he considered the runway too short to recover from a ‘bounce’, he applied power and went around. It was his opinion that this was the point when the tail strike occurred. The subsequent landing was uneventful”.

Source of Information

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f08ce5274a1317000317/dft_avsafety_pdf_500426.pdf, http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=11DE, https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/McDonnell-Douglas/MD-11/48600/N526FE-Federal-Express-, http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-md11-48600.htmhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f08ce5274a1317000317/dft_avsafety_pdf_500426.pdf, http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=11DE, https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/McDonnell-Douglas/MD-11/48600/N526FE-Federal-Express-, http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-md11-48600.htm

Primary Cause

Tail strike during landing.Tail strike during landing.

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