Terrifying moment packed BA flight’s tail scrapes along runway as plane comes in to land at Heathrow

A British Airways jet experienced a dramatic landing scare at Heathrow Airport, with reports describing the aircraft as scrapes along the tail during the final approach and a go-around rather than a successful touchdown. The available material does not specify the exact aircraft type, the flight number, or the precise sequence beyond noting that the event occurred in the approach phase and culminated in the decision to abort the landing at the last moment. No injuries or cause details are provided within the supplied material.

According to RNZ, the tail strike occurred on approach to London Heathrow and was captured in footage circulating online, presenting the moment as a dramatic runway incident. The report notes that investigators or formal statements about causes were not included in the material provided, and it does not establish the aircraft type or other flight-identifying details. Simple Flying further confirms the event involved a DHL-branded aircraft on approach to Heathrow, identifying the operator as European Air Transport Leipzig, and stating that the tail strike happened on the initial landing attempt followed by a go-around and a second landing that led to the aircraft being written off. No injuries or passenger counts are detailed in these summaries.

Simple Flying’s reporting, drawing on an AAIB bulletin, identifies the airframe as a DHL-branded Airbus A300-600F operated by European Air Transport Leipzig. It states the tail strike occurred on the first approach, after which a go-around was performed, and on the second landing the aircraft touched down but was subsequently written off. The material does not provide information on injuries or the exact flight number or time, but it confirms the write-off status and the involvement of the AAIB in the bulletin’s narrative.

The Sun’s coverage, while noting that a British Airways jet was involved in a dramatic landing scare at Heathrow, does not supply essential specifics about the aircraft, the sequence of events beyond an aborted touchdown, or the resulting outcomes. The Sun’s article highlights the incident without detailing the aircraft type, the injuries, or the airport response; it also does not include corroborated statements from emergency services or investigators in the supplied material.

Patch’s related summaries corroborate WSVN’s reporting of a separate U.S. incident at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, but that content is distinct from the Heathrow event and thus not directly connected to the BA tail-scrape incident in London. The Patch report notes responders on the scene and observer footage, with no injuries reported and no details on aircraft type or cause provided within that specific briefing.

In terms of the broader aviation context surrounding Heathrow, FlightGlobal quotes Thomas Woldbye, the Heathrow chief executive, arguing that the debate over a potential third runway should shift from whether to how it will be built, aligning with government backing for expansion. The report emphasizes the political momentum and timing, but it does not provide dates, technical milestones, or runway-specific operational details, and it is separate from the tail-strike incident narrative, focusing instead on policy and infrastructure prospects in the London area.