Tail strikes: A tail strike in the aviation sector means when the tail of an airplane touches the runway during takeoff or landing.
Though there are various reasons behind the tail strike, they are a common occurrence.
The tail strikes in flights are often caused by human error. However, the strong winds can also cause such incidents to take place.
Such incidents are most likely to occur when the plane takes a high attack angle while taking off or landing.
Tail strikes may happen to any kind of transportation plane, however, there are some designs that are more likely to trigger the incident than others.
The model and type of aircraft also determine the frequency of tail strikes during the takeoff and landing.
There are various studies conducted by top aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing which has identified the causes of tail strikes.
Out of all, human error has been highlighted as the significant contributing factor to tail strikes.
"Though tail strike occurs in both daylight and darkness and in both good and bad weather, the amount of flight crew experience with the model of airplane flown is a more significant factor. While tail strikes may occur to pilots with abundant flight time in a model, most occur to pilots who are transitioning from one airplane model to another and have fewer than 100 hours of flight time in the new model. Incidents are greatest among pilots during their first heavy-weight operations in the new model, especially when the weather is marginal,” Boeing said.
Are the tail strikes dangerous?
A tail strike is likely to weaken the airframe of the plane and cause other serious damage to the aircraft. They can lead to serious disasters several years down the line if these issues are not repaired properly.
According to Boeing, tail strikes can cause significant damage to the pressure bulkhead.
“Failure of the pressure bulkhead during flight can cause a catastrophic event if the flight continues while pressurized,” Boeing said.
IndiGo tail strike
An IndiGo Airbus 321 aircraft from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad suffered a tail strike on June 15, 2023, while landing at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
"On 15.06.2023, an Airbus 321 aircraft was involved in a tail strike while landing at Ahmedabad. DGCA investigation has revealed that the crew carried out the landing in deviation from established SOPs," an IndiGo official said.
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