Pitch-up after tailwind shift led to SAS A320neo tail-strike at Split

Croatian investigators believe a late shift in tailwind preceded an SAS Airbus A320neo’s loss of lift just before touchdown in Split, leading to a tail-strike. The aircraft, arriving from Bergen, had been stabilised during an ILS approach to runway 05. But winds were varying from 170-245°, and a 10kt change in tailwind gradient occurred as the jet descended below 70ft. This caused the aircraft to lose lift and, although the crew commanded more nose-up pitch at 55ft, the descent rate increased to 650ft/min. Pitch continued to increase in the final 25ft, triggering an automatic call-out as it reached 13° and prompting a nose-down command. Runway contact occurred with an impact of 1.65g and the aircraft started to pitch up again – which the inquiry attributes to flight-control laws responding after the angle-of-attack protection system activated just before touchdown. The pitch increased to 13.4° – generating another call-out – and the aircraft’s tail struck the runway surface. None of the 174 occupants on the A320neo was injured during the incident, on 4 September 2021, but the jet sustained tail-scrape damage, mainly between frames 68 and 72. Investigators from the Croatian accident investigation agency have cited the tailwind change and “flight technique” as having contributed to the event.<br/>