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A DHL Airbus A300-600 freighter, registered as D-AEAG, experienced a tail strike during a landing attempt at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) on Sunday. The aircraft was arriving from Leipzig, Germany, operating flight QY2212. The incident was captured on video by Big Jet TV, which showed the aircraft making an unstable approach and striking its tail on runway 09L during a go-around. The plane landed safely on its subsequent attempt.
Commentary and video evidence suggest that the thrust reversers may have been engaged during the landing. If true, this could have contributed to the tail strike, as thrust reversers can lift the nose wheel even under normal conditions. Following the incident, Heathrow’s runway was closed for ten minutes for inspection. According to The Independent, this closure caused delays for at least 20 flights, including transatlantic departures, with some delayed by an hour or more.
DHL issued a statement in response to the incident: “We will be investigating the circumstances around this incident in cooperation with the respective aviation authorities. Until that investigation is completed, we are unable to provide any further information."
