Date:	Thursday 23 September 2021
Time:	09:21
Type:	Airbus A321-271N
Owner/operator:	Hawaiian Airlines
Registration:	N208HA
MSN:	8123
Year of manufacture:	2018
Total airframe hrs:	725421 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney PW1133G
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 134
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, HI (HNL) -   United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	San Jose-Norman Y. Mineta International Airport (SJC/KSJC)
Destination airport:	Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Hawaiian Airlines flight 43, an Airbus A321neo, suffered a tailstrike on landing on runway 04R at Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Hawaii, USA.
The captain was the pilot flying, and the first officer was the pilot monitoring for the flight from San Jose International Airport (SJC), California to Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Hawaii.
The crew was vectored for the ILS approach to runway 4R at HNL. The ILS approach was uneventful with the crew achieving all of Hawaiian Airlines stabilized approach criteria at both the 1000 ft and 500 ft AGL.
The approach remained uneventful until the flare was initiated at approximately 25 feet AGL.
Winds were reported to be approximately 11 kts with gusting up to 18 kts. At this point the captain reported that he felt the aircraft had an accelerated sink rate. To arrest the sink rate, he initiated a slight increase in pitch angle. He then heard an automated audible pitch alert generated by the aircraft and then felt a firm bounce of the aircraft upon initial touchdown.
The crew initiated a go-around and had an uneventful approach and landing on runway 04R. Following the landing the crew completed an uneventful taxi and shutdown at the gate.
The tailstrike resulted in abrasion damage over an area of about 14 feet long by 2 feet wide along the aft lower fuselage. There also were several fractures to the internal cargo lining support structure and to at least one frame.

Probable Cause: The captain’s improper landing flare, which resulted in an excessive sink rate and subsequent hard landing.

18:53 UTC / 08:53 local time:
PHNL 231853Z 06011KT 10SM FEW024 FEW033 28/19 A3002 RMK AO2 RAB20E30 SLP164 P0000 T02780189

19:53 UTC / 09:53 local time:
PHNL 231953Z 05015KT 10SM FEW025 SCT050 29/18 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP163 T02890183

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