British Airways plane scrapes tail on Heathrow runway — dramatic maneuver caught on camera

A British Airways Airbus operating flight BA431 from Amsterdam to London Heathrow was involved in a dramatic approach to the airport, with reports describing a tail strike during the landing attempt. Multiple outlets note that the event occurred as the aircraft neared Heathrow’s Terminal 5 area and that the tail made contact with the runway while the aircraft was descending, with the left main gear touching before the right. Pilots executed a go-around, climbed away from the runway, and later continued the approach, ultimately landing safely at approximately 10:49 local time, according to the material.

According to Times Now, the same BA431 flight aborted its initial touchdown during the approach, performed a go-around, and then carried out a second landing attempt. The reporting describes a sequence in which the left landing gear touched down first followed by the right, and the rear of the aircraft appeared to strike the surface twice, described as a double tail strike, before the crew resumed the approach and completed a safe landing around 10:49 am. Times Now also notes that the approach occurred under north-westerly winds with gusts around 16 km/h and that British Airways has launched an investigation into the incident.

RNZ’s coverage reiterates that a tail strike occurred on approach to Heathrow, with circulating footage highlighting the dramatic moment on the runway. The RNZ report states that investigators or formal statements about causes were not included in the material provided and does not specify the aircraft type, flight numbers, or injury details. In this account, the tail-strike description aligns with other outlets’ summaries of the event, but precise operational particulars remain unspecified in their reporting.

Simple Flying, citing an AAIB bulletin and additional details, identifies the aircraft as a DHL-branded Airbus A300-600F operated by European Air Transport Leipzig on approach to Heathrow. This report states that the tail strike happened on the initial landing attempt, followed by a go-around, and that on the second landing attempt the jet touched down again and was written off. Simple Flying emphasizes that the material does not provide information on injuries or the exact flight number or time, but confirms the write-off status and the involvement of the AAIB in the bulletin narrative.

Additionally, Simple Flying’s summary reinforces the DHL A300-600F involvement, noting the tail strike occurred during the first approach, the go-around occurred, and the second touchdown led to the aircraft being written off. The reporting indicates no other aircraft were involved and that the AAIB contributed to the bulletin’s account; exact timing, passenger counts, and casualty details are not provided in the sourced material.

AOL.co.uk’s coverage mirrors the other outlets, describing the BA jet on a touchdown attempt at Heathrow that observers termed a tense, white-knuckle moment before the crew aborted and initiated a go-around. The footage reportedly shows the aircraft bouncing on the runway before lifting off again, and the AOL report does not include details about the aircraft type, flight number, or ultimate outcomes beyond the aborted landing, according to the supplied material.

The Sun’s coverage broadly describes a British Airways jet experiencing a dramatic landing scare at Heathrow with reports of tail scraping and a go-around, but does not supply specific aircraft type, flight number, sequence details beyond the abort, or any injuries or emergency-response specifics in the material provided. Daily Mail’s summary likewise identifies the event as a tail strike on approach with a double-tail-strike description, noting the freighter involved as a DHL-branded Airbus A300-600F operated by European Air Transport Leipzig, and linking the sequence to a go-around and second touchdown that led to a write-off, with no injury details published in their summaries.

Across the reports, the AAIB is cited as a source shaping the described sequence—tail strike on the first approach, go-around, second touchdown, and subsequent write-off for the DHL A300-600F. However, the emergency-services response details, such as fire services, airport authorities’ actions, or recovery operations, are not outlined in the supplied material. Several outlets also note that no injuries or casualty figures are provided, and some summaries caution that exact flight numbers and precise timing were not disclosed in the material reviewed.

In summary, the event centers on a BA431 approach to Heathrow that involved a tail strike and a go-around, followed by a second landing attempt that resulted in a safe arrival for the BA aircraft according to the Heathrow reports. A DHL-branded Airbus A300-600F, operated by European Air Transport Leipzig, is identified by AAIB-related reporting as the freighter involved in a tail strike on the first approach, with a second landing leading to a write-off, though this detail is presented by Simple Flying and associated sources rather than an official, singular incident briefing in the supplied material. The investigation is acknowledged, with British Airways stated to be assisting, while specifics on injuries, exact timing, and flight numbers remain unconfirmed within the material provided.