British Airways plane scrapes tail on Heathrow runway — dramatic maneuver caught on camera
Flight from Amsterdam makes a second attempt and lands safely as investigation begins
A British Airways aircraft struck its tail against the runway while attempting to land at London’s Heathrow Airport on Thursday morning, prompting pilots to abort the landing and take off again.
The aircraft, operating flight BA431 from Amsterdam, eventually landed safely after the incident. No injuries have been reported.
According to The Telegraph, footage of the incident showed the Airbus approaching the runway at Heathrow Terminal 5 before its rear section scraped the tarmac.
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The aircraft appeared to sway slightly as it descended, with its left wheel touching the runway before the right. The contact caused the tail to strike the ground.
The pilots immediately abandoned the landing attempt and climbed back into the air in a manoeuvre known as a go-around. The plane later made a successful landing at 10.49am local time.
Incident captured on live camera
The incident was captured by BigJet TV, an aviation channel that streams aircraft movements at major airports.
Sharing the footage on X, the channel said the aircraft had suffered a double tail strike during its landing attempt.
Investigation launched
British Airways has launched an investigation into the incident, which has also been reported to the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
A British Airways spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft landed safely and said the airline was assisting the AAIB with its investigation.
The airline declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation.
