A routine flight from Amsterdam to Lisbon ended with an unexpected incident after a KLM Airbus A321neo suffered a tail strike during landing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport on June 16, 2026.
KLM Flight KL1583, operated by Airbus A321-252NX PH-AXB, was arriving from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport when the aircraft touched down on Runway 02 at Lisbon. During the landing sequence, the aircraft reportedly bounced before settling back onto the runway. As the pilots recovered the landing, the tail section of the aircraft made contact with the runway surface, creating a tail scrape and causing damage to the empennage area.
Despite the impact, the crew maintained control of the aircraft and completed the landing without further incident. The jet rolled out normally and taxied to the apron under its own power. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
However, inspections following the landing revealed damage significant enough to ground the aircraft in Lisbon for detailed assessment and repairs. As a result, the scheduled return service to Amsterdam was cancelled, disrupting travel plans for passengers.
More than 28 hours after the incident, PH-AXB remained parked in Lisbon while maintenance teams evaluated the extent of the structural damage. Tail strikes can range from minor abrasion of the protective tail skid to more serious structural damage requiring extensive inspection and repair before an aircraft can safely return to service.
The Airbus A321neo is equipped with advanced flight control systems, but tail strikes can still occur during takeoff or landing if pitch angles become excessive, particularly following a bounce or unstable touchdown.
