ANA Boeing 787 tail hits runway after pilot error in Houston
Inadvertent cockpit input triggered sudden pitch increase
An All Nippon Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner struck its tail against runway 26L at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on February 27, 2026, after the captain mistakenly engaged a go-around switch immediately following main gear touchdown. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded its investigation into the accident involving aircraft JA873A, establishing that the premature command forced the nose upward abruptly.
The automated flight system rapidly increased the pitch attitude to 7.9 degrees while the main wheels remained firmly on the pavement.
Low visibility conditions prompted autoland procedure
Thick fog over Houston required the flight crew to execute a Category III instrument approach using the autoland system of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. No mechanical failure occurred. The National Transportation Safety Board verified that all onboard flight guidance systems functioned exactly as designed.
Sequence of events during the landing roll
Pilots immediately disconnected the autopilot system after recognizing the abnormal nose-up movement, regained manual command over the controls, safely lowered the aircraft back onto the runway surface, and completed the landing roll before taxiing clear of runway 26L without further complications. Both pilots stated to investigators that neither crew member consciously realized the TO/GA switch had been pushed during the landing sequence.
Mechanics and dangers of the go-around switch
The Takeoff/Go-Around switches sit directly on the engine thrust levers to facilitate rapid transitions from an approach into an immediate climb. Engaging that control mode automatically commands maximum climb thrust and pitches the aircraft upward. Pushing the levers or switches during ground contact forces the tail section downward into the pavement. Such geometry makes a tailstrike almost unavoidable when the main gear touches down simultaneously.
- Aircraft model: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Registration mark: JA873A
- Total passengers on board: 197
- Flight and cabin crew: 12
- Recorded maximum pitch angle: 7.9 degrees
Damage assessment and official classification
The National Transportation Safety Board officially classified the Houston occurrence as an aviation accident because the tail impact caused substantial structural damage across the lower aft fuselage.
Maintenance teams subsequently conducted extensive airframe repairs on airframe JA873A before returning the jet to service. None of the 197 passengers or 12 crew members sustained injuries during the rough landing.
