British Airways A321neo Strikes Tail Twice While Landing at Heathrow
A British Airways A321neo from Amsterdam struck its tail twice while landing at Heathrow, went around and landed safely. Caught on camera; AAIB involved.
A British Airways Airbus A321neo struck its tail on the runway twice while trying to land at London Heathrow on the morning of 12 November 2026. The crew went around, climbed away and landed safely on a second approach. The British Airways tail strike was caught by Big Jet TV’s 24/7 webcam, which published the footage the same day, and Paddle Your Own Kanoo (PYOK) reports that the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has been called in.
What we know
- Date: 12 November 2026, morning
- Place: London Heathrow Airport (LHR), United Kingdom
- Aircraft: Airbus A321neo, about two years old according to PYOK
- Operator: British Airways
- Flight: a scheduled service from Amsterdam Schiphol to Heathrow
- Outcome: go-around, safe landing on the second approach; passengers left the aircraft normally
- Investigation: the AAIB has been called in, as reported by PYOK
No injuries have been reported. British Airways has not given passenger or crew numbers.
What happened
According to PYOK, the aircraft had earlier flown from Heathrow to Amsterdam and was on the return sector, with more flights planned later in the day. In the Big Jet TV footage, the rear fuselage touches the runway twice during the landing before the pilots apply power and go around, the standard response when a landing does not go as planned. The channel, which streams Heathrow arrivals live, described it as a double tail strike.
British Airways told PYOK that “the aircraft landed safely” and that it is assisting the AAIB, adding that it could not comment further. The aircraft was taken out of service for maintenance inspections. The airline has tentatively planned its return to service for 14 November, depending on what engineers find. The extent of any damage has not been published, and no cause has been established.
Why tail strikes matter
A tail strike happens when the aircraft’s nose is raised so high on take-off or landing that the lower rear fuselage touches the runway. Long, stretched aircraft such as the A321 have less clearance than shorter models, so pitch control near the ground is especially important. Even a light strike can damage the pressure bulkhead or structural frames, which is why aircraft are inspected before they fly again.
It is the second Heathrow tail strike in the news this week: the AAIB has just published its findings on a DHL A300 freighter tail strike during a go-around at Heathrow in October 2025. We will update this story if the AAIB releases details. See the specifications of the type in our entry on the Airbus A321neo and the role of pitch in our glossary entry on angle of attack.
