British Airways Grounds A321neo After Tail Strike on Go-Around at Heathrow

A British Airways Airbus A321neo is out of service at London Heathrow after its tail struck the runway during a go-around on 12 November 2026 — an event that will keep the airframe grounded until it passes a full structural inspection.

The aircraft, registered G-TNEB, was operating flight BA431 from Amsterdam to Heathrow. According to reporting by Avherald, the crew went around after touchdown on runway 27L at 10:35 UTC, and the tail contacted the runway surface as the crew pitched the aircraft nose-up to execute the manoeuvre.

Flightradar24 data shows the flight departed Amsterdam at 09:45 UTC and reached a peak altitude of roughly 24,000 feet during the crossing — well below a typical cruising level for the route, consistent with the short climb profile of a brief hop. The aircraft landed at 10:50 UTC, one hour and five minutes after take-off.

Why does a go-around after touchdown risk a tail strike?

A tail strike during a go-around is a recognised hazard when an aircraft that has already touched down pitches nose-up rapidly. Rotating hard from a completed touchdown puts the fuselage tail section below the wing's flight path, and on the A321 — the longest-fuselage member of the A320 family in airline service — the geometric margin is inherently tight.

The precise circumstances that led the BA crew to reject the landing are not yet known. No authority has stated a cause, and no formal investigation has been confirmed as opened at this stage.

What happens to the aircraft now?

Simple Flying reported that British Airways grounded the aircraft after the incident. That is standard procedure after any tail strike: the airframe requires a full structural inspection before it can return to service.

The damage spectrum is wide. Outcomes range from superficial scuffing of the tail skid — the sacrificial pad designed to take exactly this kind of contact — to significant structural damage requiring repair before the aircraft is cleared to fly again. Neither British Airways nor any regulatory authority has confirmed the extent of damage to G-TNEB.

For an operator of British Airways' scale, a grounded A321neo is a capacity problem as much as a maintenance one. The type seats more passengers than any other narrowbody in the carrier's fleet, and it works high-frequency short-haul routes like Amsterdam–Heathrow, where a missing aircraft forces same-day substitutions or cancellations.

What we know and don't know

The confirmed picture, as of now:

• 12 November 2026: G-TNEB strikes runway 27L with its tail during a go-around on BA431
• 10:35 UTC: the crew initiates the go-around after touchdown; tail contact follows
• 10:50 UTC: the aircraft lands, 65 minutes after departing Amsterdam at 09:45 UTC
• Status: grounded pending a full structural inspection; no cause stated, no formal investigation confirmed

The incident occurred at an airport that handles some of the highest traffic volumes in Europe, where runway events draw close attention from the regulator.

British Airways and investigators have yet to release further information on the damage assessment or the crew's decision to go around after touchdown. The aircraft's return to service will depend entirely on what the structural inspection finds.