Boeing 757 223 accident near Miami, Florida, September 16, 2014
On September 16, 2014, a 1991 Boeing 757 223, registered N654A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Miami, Florida (Miami Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 172 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the first officer to control the airplane pitch after touchdown. Contributing to the accident was the first officers inexperience in the aircraft type.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2014
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 172 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757 223 223, built 1991 · all 757 223s on the register
- Registration
- N654A · no longer on the register · serial 24612
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 15, 2014, at about 2027 eastern daylight time, American Airlines flight 2404, a B757-200, N654A, experienced a tail strike during landing at Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead and there were no injuries to the 172 passengers and crew onboard. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (KSJU), San Juan, Puerto Rico to KMIA. According to the operator, the first officer (FO) was the pilot flying and the captain was the pilot monitoring and was initial operating experience (IOE) training for the FO. The flight crew reported that they had the ILS tuned and the approach was stabilized. They reported that the main gear touchdown was smooth but that the nose came up rapidly before the captain could make the "deployed" call for the spoilers. The captain reportedly quickly grabbed the yoke and lowered the nose to the ground. Postflight maintenance inspection found damage to the aft fuselage skin and substantial damage to the aft pressure bulkhead.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Copilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Copilot
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Flight time: 5,470 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 26, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Flight time: 22 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 19, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 71,575.5 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 255,500 lb
- Seats: 172
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES (turbofan); 43,373 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES (turbofan); 63,319 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: SJU San Juan PR at 9:44 pm
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 13,016 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 166 |
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.