Boeing 757 accident near Raleigh, North Carolina, May 21, 2017
On May 21, 2017 at about 1:18 am local time, a 1987 Boeing 757, registered N633DL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Raleigh, North Carolina (Raleigh-Durham International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 186 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the first officer's failure to attain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a tail strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2017 · about 1:18 am local time
- Place
- Raleigh, North Carolina · Raleigh-Durham International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 186 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757 232, built 1987 · all 757s on the register
- Registration
- N633DL · no longer on the register · serial 23614
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The crew of the Part 121 scheduled passenger flight reported that the landing approach at the destination was stable. The first officer, who was the pilot flying, stated that the airplane was slightly high and fast when he began the landing flare and he pushed the nose down to correct. He then determined that he had overcorrected and began to recover by pulling the control column aft when the airplane landed firmly on the main landing gear and the aft fuselage impacted the runway. Postflight inspection revealed an area of abrasion damage to the aft fuselage and the underlying stringers and frames and 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
- Tailstrike during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action sequence › Copilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,588 hours in all; 7,131 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 8,564 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 14, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 12, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 94,368 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 20, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 241,000 lb
- Seats: 188
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney PW2037 (turbofan); 84,104 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney PW2037 (turbofan); 73,085 hours total
- Operator: Delta Air Lines
The flight
- Departed from: KATL Atlanta GA
- Destination: KRDU Morrisville NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5L, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 180 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N633DL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.