Date:	Sunday 9 June 2019
Time:	15:55
Type:	Boeing 737-924ER (WL)
Owner/operator:	United Airlines
Registration:	N75436
MSN:	33531/2947
Year of manufacture:	2009
Total airframe hrs:	33901 hours
Engine model:	CFMI CFM56-7B26
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 184
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	Denver International Airport, CO (DEN) -   United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Reno-Cannon International Airport, NV (RNO/KRNO)
Destination airport:	Denver International Airport, CO (DEN/KDEN)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
United Airlines flight 401 suffered a tail strike on landing on runway 16R at Denver International Airport, Colorado, USA.
There were no injuries. The airplane received substantial damage.

The first officer (FO) was the pilot flying and the captain was the pilot monitoring. During short final, the FO noticed he was about 5 knots fast, and about 50 feet above the runway, started to slowly reduce power and start the landing flare. At touchdown the airplane bounced. The FO was about to advance throttles for a go-around, when the captain took control and continued the landing after a second bounce. During the post flight walk around, the flight crew observed that the lower aft fuselage had sustained damaged due to a tailstrike.
Maintenance examination of the airplane found that the tailskid cartridge was compressed and there was substantial damage to the fuselage skin, frames, stringer clips and shear ties between fuselage station 827 to 907 and deformed stringers 27L and 27R.

Probable Cause: the early initiation of the landing flare that resulted in a high pitch attitude and tailstrike.

20:53 UTC / 14:53 local time:
KDEN 092053Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW050 FEW200 14/02 A3047 RMK AO2 SLP285 T01440022 58005

21:53 UTC / 15:53 local time:
KDEN 092153Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW050 FEW140 16/02 A3046 RMK AO2 SLP279 T01610022

22:53 UTC / 16:53 local time:
KDEN 092253Z 00000KT 10SM FEW055 FEW140 15/01 A3045 RMK AO2 SLP279 T01500011

NTSB

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