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| Air Boeing 777-300ER Incident |
This is a recent aviation incident from July 19, 2026, involving a Kalitta Air Boeing 777-300ER freighter (registration N778CK, flight K4264) at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
What Happened
The cargo flight arrived from Brussels (BRU). During the landing attempt at CVG, the crew initiated a go-around (also called a balked landing or missed approach). As they applied power and pitched the nose up to climb away, the aircraft's tail struck the runway, producing visible sparks.
What Happened With Crew
The crew safely climbed away, came around for another approach (with at least one more aborted attempt reported), and landed safely around 8:15 p.m. local time with no injuries to the crew. The aircraft was then removed from service for inspection and evaluation.Kalitta Air’s Chief Operating Officer, Heath Nicholl, confirmed the details in statements to media. The FAA is investigating the incident.
How and Why a Tailstrike Occurs in This Scenario
A tailstrike happens when the aircraft’s tail (rear fuselage) contacts the runway, usually due to an excessively high pitch angle (nose-up attitude) relative to the aircraft’s speed, altitude, or configuration. On a Boeing 777-300ER, this is more likely during low-speed, high-power maneuvers because of its long fuselage.
Common factors in a go-around tailstrike
(based on general aviation knowledge and early discussions of this event):
Go-around dynamics: A go-around requires rapid thrust increase (the 777 has powerful engines). Combined with existing nose-up trim from the landing approach, this can cause a strong pitch-up moment. Pilots must actively manage the pitch to avoid over-rotating.
Timing/altitude: If initiated very late (near or after touchdown) or at low speed, the margin for error is small.
Aircraft state: Cargo flights like this one may have been relatively light (less fuel after a long flight), affecting handling and trim needs.
Human factors: Rapid thrust application, trim setting, or slight deviations in technique can contribute. The 777’s flight envelope protections sometimes interact in these edge cases.
No injuries to anyone.
This was a cargo-only flight (Kalitta Air operates freighters with no passengers). Only the flight crew (typically 3–4 people on a 777 freighter: captain, first officer, and possibly a relief pilot or flight engineer) was on board.
- The crew performed the go-around safely after the tailstrike.
- They landed the aircraft without further incident a short time later.
- Kalitta Air and reports from the FAA confirm zero injuries.
Tailstrike incidents like this can look dramatic (sparks, scraping sounds), but modern airliners are built with safety margins, and the crew handled the recovery well. The focus now is on inspecting the aircraft for any structural damage.
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