Date:	Saturday 15 June 2019
Time:	12:55
Type:	Boeing 757-224 (WL)
Owner/operator:	United Airlines
Registration:	N26123
MSN:	28966/781
Year of manufacture:	1997
Engine model:	Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 172
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ (EWR) -   United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Denver International Airport, CO (DEN/KDEN)
Destination airport:	Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ (EWR/KEWR)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
United Airlines flight 627, a Boeing 757-224, sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage following a hard landing accident at Newark-Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, USA.
The flight departed Denver International Airport, Colorado at 07:51 hours local time (13:51 UTC) on a scheduled service to Newark.
The first officer (FO) was the pilot flying, and the captain was pilot monitoring on the flight. The takeoff, cruise, and decent were normal. The captain stated that it was an Initial Operating Experience (IOE) flight for the first officer. The auto speed brake system on the airplane was deferred in accordance with the Minimum Equipment List, and had been briefed, and all checklists had been completed. The captain stated that the FO flew a "solid" approach profile with few minor airspeed deviations, all of which were corrected immediately. The crew stated that during the descent to runway 22L the wind became gusty (220 degrees at 14 kts, gusting to 22 kts), and they increased the VREF speed in accordance with company procedures. At 500 feet, the airplane was on profile, on speed and stable. According to the crew the initial touchdown was smooth, on centerline, and in the touchdown zone. Upon touchdown on the main wheels, the captain manually deployed the speed brakes and the nose pitched up. To avoid a tailstrike,
the captain said she physically blocked the yoke from moving back and instructed the FO to pitch forward. The airplane then bounced on the runway. The nose gear touched down with a vertical acceleration of 1.6042 g’s

Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed extensive structural damage to the right and left forward area (41/43 station) of the fuselage. There was extensive damage to twelve skin panels, eleven severed RH stringers and twelve buckled LH stringer sections, multiple underlying damaged structural components, and damage to the nose landing gear and support structure.

Probable Cause: An improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and substantial damage.

16:51 UTC / 12:51 local time:
KEWR 151651Z 21016G24KT 10SM FEW140 SCT180 BKN250 27/09 A3005 RMK AO2 PK WND 20026/1553 SLP177 T02670094

16:58 UTC / 12:58 local time:
KEWR 151658Z 22013G24KT 10SM FEW130 SCT180 BKN250 27/09 A3005 RMK AO2 T02720089

FAA

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

19 August 2015	N26123	United Airlines	0	Washington-Dulles International Airport, DC (IAD/KIAD)		unk
Collision with Ground support equipment

photo (c) Hans Hultgren; Newark-Liberty International Airport, NJ (EWR); 15 June 2019

photo (c) Alan Wilson; Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport, NV (LAS/KLAS); 02 March 2016; (CC:by-sa)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates