Airbus 321 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, April 5, 2013
On April 5, 2013 at about 7:51 pm local time, a Airbus 321, registered N560UW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Las Vegas, Nevada (Las Vegas airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 192 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the captain's improper recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in a tailstrike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2013 · about 7:51 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 192 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus 321 231
- Registration
- N560UW · registry record · serial 5300
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew stated that the captain was the pilot flying and the first officer was the pilot monitoring. The captain stated that, once he turned off the autopilot while on the approach to runway 25L, he thought "the winds seemed a little stronger…" than what was reported, and it felt "a little squirrelly." He said he initiated the flare within about 20 feet above the ground and pitched up for the flare, but stated he did not feel any pitch response, so he brought the nose up a little more to arrest the descent. Upon initial touchdown, he estimated that the airplane bounced about 5-10 feet back into the air. On the subsequent touchdown, the airplane's tail struck the runway. Postaccident investigation revealed substantial damage to the underbelly and aft bulkhead area. The skin was abraded over a large area through its thickness in several areas of the pressure vessel . One frame was fractured along with several fractured shear ties and frame clips.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Tailstrike during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action sequence › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,119 hours in all; 3,542 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 29, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,081 hours in all; 1,744 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,677 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 5, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 205,000 lb
- Seats: 198
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: International Aero Engines V2533A5 (turbofan); 1,677 hours total
- Engine 2: International Aero Engines V2533A5 (turbofan); 1,677 hours total
- Operator: U.A Airways Inc
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC at 3:23 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25L, 10,525 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from LAS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 186 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.