Airbus A321-271N N208HA

Summary

On 23 September 2021 at about 19:44 local time, a Airbus A321-271N registered N208HA, operated by Hawaiian Airlines Inc, was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. 134 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 2021 at 19:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Daniel K. Inouye International (PHNL)

Coordinates

21.3187, -157.9220

Aircraft

Airbus A321-271N

Registration

N208HA

Category

Airplane

Year built

2018

Engines

2

Operator

Hawaiian Airlines Inc

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Jose → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA22LA004

Nobody was injured.

The captain’s improper landing flare, which resulted in an excessive sink rate and subsequent hard landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the operator, the captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring for the flight from the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Jose, California to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. The taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, and descent phases of the flight were uneventful. The crew was vectored for the ILS approach to runway 4R at HNL. The ILS approach was uneventful with the crew achieving all of Hawaiian Airlines stabilized approach criteria at both the 1000 ft and 500 ft AGL. The approach remained uneventful until the flare was initiated at approximately 25 feet AGL. Winds were reported to be approximately 11 kts with gusting up to 18 kts. At this point the captain reported that he felt the aircraft had an accelerated sink rate. To arrest the sink rate, he initiated a slight increase in pitch angle. He then heard an automated audible pitch alert generated by the aircraft and then felt a firm bounce of the aircraft upon initial touchdown. The crew initiated a go-around and had an uneventful approach and landing on runway 04R. Following the landing the crew completed an uneventful taxi and shutdown at the gate. The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage over an area of about 14 feet long by 2 feet wide along the aft lower fuselage. There also were several fractures to the internal cargo lining support structure and to at least one frame.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.