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On May 22, a Eurowings Europe Malta Airbus A320-200 operating flight EW-6838 from Palma de Mallorca to Paderborn made a go-around on final approach, during which the aircraft's tail contacted the runway, as reported by The Aviation Herald. The aircraft landed safely on a second attempt, and emergency services attended to it upon arrival.
Airbus A320-200
Launch Customer(s) Air France Length 123 ft 3 in (37.6 m) Wingspan 117 ft 5 in (35.8 m) Height 38 ft 7 in (11.8 m)
Passengers described a steep climb immediately after the initial touchdown. Checked luggage was reportedly damaged as a result of the tailstrike . The airline later confirmed that the tail had struck the runway surface during the go-around and stated the aircraft is currently undergoing a technical inspection.
Sudden Loss Of Altitude Leads To Go-Around
Flight EW-6838, registration 9H-EUT, was operating a scheduled service from Palma de Mallorca to Paderborn, typically arriving in the mid-afternoon. On May 22, while approaching runway 24 at around 16:17, the crew initiated a go-around.
According to The Aviation Herald, the aircraft's tail made contact with the runway during the maneuver. It then climbed first to 3,000 feet, then 5,000 feet, before positioning for a second approach. The aircraft landed without further incident approximately 20 minutes later. No injuries were reported.
Eurowings stated that the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude just before landing, which caused the main gear to hit the runway with significant force. Ground teams were dispatched to inspect the aircraft on arrival, and the extent of any structural damage remains under review.
Tailstrikes Are A Known Risk During Go-Around Maneuvers
Go-arounds are standard safety procedures carried out when crews determine that landing cannot be completed safely. This may result from unstable approaches, changing wind conditions, or technical issues. In this case, Eurowings reported an unexpected loss of altitude just before touchdown, which likely disrupted the approach and led to the go-around.
Although go-arounds are routinely practiced, they can present risks when executed at low altitude. One such risk is a tailstrike, which occurs when the rear fuselage contacts the runway due to an excessive nose-up pitch angle. Tailstrikes remain a notable safety concern in global aviation.
According to IATA's Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) system, 79% of tailstrike accidents between 2013 and 2022 occurred during landing or go-around phases. In 2022, 24 such events were reported by more than 250 airlines, with six classified as accidents. In 2024, tailstrikes were reported as one of the most common accident types globally.
Recent Tailstrike Incidents
There have been several tailstrike incidents reported in recent months, involving a range of aircraft types and operating conditions; most occurred during landings or go-arounds. On May 17, a Turkish Airlines Airbus A321neo, operating flight TK1771 from Istanbul to Prague, struck its tail during a go-around on runway 12 at Václav Havel Airport. The aircraft climbed to 4,000 feet before returning for a second approach and landed without further issues.
Furthermore, in April, an Aurigny ATR 72-212A landing in gusty wind conditions at Guernsey Airport also experienced a tailstrike. The aircraft rolled out normally, but was later found to have sustained significant damage. No injuries were reported.
In March, an IndiGo Airbus A321neo arriving in Chennai from Mumbai struck its tail during landing on runway 25. The flight completed its rollout without incident. This was the second time the same aircraft had been involved in a tailstrike within a year.