Airbus A321 accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, August 15, 2015
On August 15, 2015 at about 10:37 pm local time, a 2012 Airbus A321, registered N564UW, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Charlotte, North Carolina (Charlotte/Douglas Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 159 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an encounter with a small microburst on short final at low altitude that resulted in a loss of lift and a tail strike during the go-around. Contributing to the accident was the captain's decision to continue the approach without applying appropriate windshear precautions in accordance with published guidance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2015 · about 10:37 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Charlotte/Douglas Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 159 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A321 231, built 2012 · all A321s on the register
- Registration
- N564UW · no longer on the register · serial 5374
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was descending for landing on runway 36L at CLT with full flaps while passing through scattered rain cells. ATC had informed the flight of a windshear advisory about 12 minutes prior to the landing attempt and of a windshear alert, indicating a pilot report of a 20 knot loss of airspeed on approach, about 1.5 minutes prior to the landing attempt. The captain did not reference the available windshear guidance in the quick reference handbook, which recommended landing with Flaps 3 and increasing the approach speed by 15 knots, and approached with Full flaps and no speed increment. The flight encountered a small microburst on short final about 7 seconds prior to the landing attempt characterized by wind shift from a headwind to a tailwind and back to a headwind. The captain began a go-around after receiving an aural windshear alert/warning from the airplane systems, however, the airplane lost speed and lift and landed hard on the runway suffering a tail strike before they were able to climb. The crew was vectored for a landing on runway 36C following the event and landed without further incident.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,621 hours in all; 10,030 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 30, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,877 hours in all; 838 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 9, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 205,900 lb
- Seats: 198
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 9,122 hours total
- Engine 2: Iae V2533-A5 (turbofan); 9,122 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36L, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from KCLT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 153 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on June 15, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meteorology Factual Report | PDF, 67 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Cockpit Voice Recorder - Factual Report | PDF, 25 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Crew Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Crew Interviews | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Aircraft Damage Report | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Runway Damage Report | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Flight Data Recorder - Specialist’s Factual Report | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Flight Data Recorder - Attachment 1 (FDR Compressed Tabular Data for Event Flight) | zip file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.