Amsterdam flight makes second landing attempt and touches down safely as investigation gets underway.
A British Airways aircraft struck its tail against the runway while attempting to land at London Heathrow Airport on Thursday morning, forcing the pilots to abort the landing and climb back into the air.
The aircraft, operating flight BA431 from Amsterdam, later landed safely following the incident. No injuries have been reported.
According to The Telegraph, footage showed the Airbus approaching the runway at Heathrow Terminal 5 before its rear section scraped the tarmac.
The aircraft appeared to sway slightly during its descent, with the left wheel touching down before the right. The contact caused the tail to strike the runway.
The pilots immediately abandoned the landing attempt and initiated a manoeuvre known as a go-around, climbing back into the air before making a second approach. The aircraft eventually landed safely at 10.49am local time.
Incident captured on live camera
The incident was recorded by BigJet TV, an aviation channel that livestreams aircraft movements at major airports.
Sharing the footage on X, the channel said the aircraft had experienced a double tail strike during its landing attempt.
Investigation launched
British Airways has launched an investigation into the incident, which has also been reported to the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
A British Airways spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft had landed safely and said the airline was assisting the AAIB with its investigation.
The airline declined to comment further while the investigation is ongoing
