tailstrike

Fixed-wing aircraft with a conventional tail and tricycle undercarriage are vulnerable to tailstrike. Those which require a high angle of attack on takeoff or landing are especially so. They may be fitted with a protection device such as a small tailwheel (Concorde and the Saab Draken), tailskid (Diamond DA20), or reinforced tail bumper. The device may be fixed or retractable.{{Cite web|url=http://www.airbus.com/fileadmin/media_gallery/files/safety_library_items/AirbusSafetyLib_-FLT_OPS-LAND-SEQ08.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425183710/http://www.airbus.com/fileadmin/media_gallery/files/safety_library_items/AirbusSafetyLib_-FLT_OPS-LAND-SEQ08.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Tailstrike in Airbus Safety lib|archivedate=April 25, 2012}}[https://www.sae.org/standards/content/air1800/ "Aircraft Tail Bumpers"], AIR1800, SAE

Tailstrike incidents are rarely dangerous in themselves, but the aircraft must be thoroughly inspected and repairs may be difficult and expensive if the pressure hull is involved. Inadequate inspections and improper repairs to damaged airframes after a tailstrike have been known to cause catastrophic structural failure long after the tailstrike incident following multiple pressurization cycles.

• Emirates Flight 407, tailstrike on takeoff when correcting for insufficient thrust.
• KLM Flight 4805, tailstrike on takeoff while attempting to avoid collision in the Tenerife airport disaster.{{Cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19770327-1|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 747-206B PH-BUF Tenerife-Los Rodeos International Airport (TCI)|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net}}
• Japan Air Lines Flight 123, improper repairs to a previous tailstrike on landing, resulting in catastrophic failure seven years later. The 520 fatalities made this the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history.{{Cite web|last=Ranter|first=Harro|date=|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 747SR-46 JA8119 Ueno|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19850812-1|access-date=June 15, 2009|website=aviation-safety.net|publisher=Aviation Safety Network}}
• China Airlines Flight 611, improper repairs to a previous tailstrike on landing, resulting in catastrophic failure twenty-two years later.
• Middle East Airlines Flight 304, tailstrike on landing at Cairo International Airport. 14 years later it would crash in Egypt as Metrojet Flight 9268.
• Air India Express Flight 611, severe tailstrike on takeoff following the collapse of the captain's backrest resulting in collision with the localizer antenna and perimeter wall.
• Air Transport International Flight 782, Experienced a tailstrike when trying to takeoff from Kansas City International Airport.

Tailstrikes can also happen with helicopters, and example of this is an Australian AW139 which on landing the rear tail hit vegetation.{{Cite web |title=Tail rotor strike highlights importance of heightened situational awareness operating into confined areas |url=https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/news-items/2023/tail-rotor-strike-highlights-importance-heightened-situational-awareness-operating-confined-areas}} With helicopter's a tail strike can mean that the tail rotor itself, boom, or tailfin are damaged by contact.{{Cite web |last=Aerossurance |date=2022-04-29 |title=US Air Ambulance Helicopter Hospital Heliport Tail Strike |url=https://aerossurance.com/safety-management/haa-s76d-heliport-tail-strike/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Aerossurance |language=en}}

Another type of danger for helicopters that have a tail boom, is that the main rotor and tail strike each other, which can cause the tail to be cut off and/or damage the main rotor blade.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-18 |title=Main Rotor Struck Tail Boom, Dooming Chopper in Rowlett Crash: NTSB |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/main-rotor-struck-tail-boom-dooming-chopper-in-rowlett-crash-ntsb/2943268/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth |language=en-US}}

• Wingstrike

• [http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6543337 Tailstrike during takeoff], Jetphotos.net

{{Helicopters and rotorcraft}}

Category:Aviation risks

*