Boeing 757 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, March 21, 2020
On March 21, 2020 at about 7:38 am local time, a 2001 Boeing 757, registered N193AN, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Las Vegas, Nevada (Mccarran International Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 127 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the excessive pitch attitude at touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2020 · about 7:38 am local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Mccarran International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 127 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757 223, built 2001 · all 757s on the register
- Registration
- N193AN · registry record · serial 32387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 21, 2020, at 12:38 am Pacific daylight time (PDT), American Airlines flight 2341, a Boeing 757, N193AN, experienced a tailstrike during landing on runway 26L at the McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nevada. There were no injuries to the 127 passengers and crew, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The regularly scheduled passenger flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121from Miami International Airport (KMIA), Florida, to KLAS. Due to staffing issues related to COVID-19, Las Vegas tower and TRACON were at ATC-zero, and the arrival was handled by Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZLA). The captain was the flying pilot and the first officer was monitoring. According to the flight crew, the flight was cleared for a visual approach and they monitored the ILS 26L as a backup. The flight crew reported that the winds were from 040 degrees at 8 knots (slight tailwind), visibility greater than ten miles, and a thin layer of broken clouds at 17,000 feet. The captain conducted an approach briefing and the first officer conducted a Landing Distance Assessment to account for the slight tailwind. The first officer reported the approach was normal and stabilized, and they encountered a slight downdraft in the flare. The captain disconnected the autopilot at about 400 feet above the ground and the autothrottle at 200 feet. Flight data recorder data indicated that the pitch attitude was about 7 degrees at touchdown but, as the ground spoilers deployed, pitch attitude increased to 10.9 degrees. There was a 3 to 5 knot crosswind at touchdown. Post-flight inspection of the airplane indicated the underside of the rear fuselage struck the runway, resulting in damage to the skin, frames, and 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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,184 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 22, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,548 hours in all; 471 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 10, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 64,323 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 18, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 228,178 lb
- Seats: 187
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES; 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc RB.211 SERIES; 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KMIA Miami FL at 2:27 am
- Destination: KLAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26L, 14,515 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from KLAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 121 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 8, 2021. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Crew Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Revised Damage Assessment | PDF, 5 pages | View 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.