'Sparks Fly, Aircraft Removed From Service': Kalitta Air Plane Suffers Tail Strike During Go-Around At Cincinnati Airport | WATCH

New Delhi: A Kalitta Air cargo plane, flight K4 264, experienced a tail strike and scraped the runway during a go-around while trying to land at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), according to initial FAA reports shared on X. Despite the incident, the aircraft managed to land safely shortly afterward.

The Boeing 777-300 had arrived after a trans-Atlantic service from Brussels on Sunday, and as the plane came into land at Cincinnati, it experienced a tail strike.

Following the tail strike incident, Kalitta Air has officially taken the affected aircraft out of service while a thorough investigation is conducted. Before the plane returns to operational status, it is scheduled to be transferred to the airline's dedicated heavy maintenance facility located in Michigan. 

This crucial safety step ensures that the aircraft undergoes rigorous structural inspections and necessary repairs to address any damage sustained during the runway scrape at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Kalitta's Chief Operating Officer, Heath Nicholl, confirmed that everyone onboard was uninjured and that the aircraft landed safely before being grounded. Recent flight tracking data indicates the plane is scheduled to depart for Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport (OSC) tonight, which serves as the airline's heavy maintenance base.

What happens in tail strike?

A tail strike happens when the rear section of an airplane strikes the runway during takeoff or landing. This typically results from raising the nose too high or too quickly, though other contributing factors include improper landing pitch or strong wind conditions.

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