A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 avoids runway tailstrike during go-around at Los Angeles
On flight LH456 from Frankfurt, the crew initiated a balked landing on runway 24R after touchdown, pulling the aircraft into a steep climb that brought the aft fuselage near the pavement.
On Saturday 10 October, Lufthansa flight LH456 operating from Frankfurt to Los Angeles aborted its initial landing on runway 24R. The Boeing 747-8, registered D-ABYK, initiated a go-around immediately after its main landing gear briefly contacted the surface.
During the maneuver, which was captured on video by Airline Videos, the flight crew pitched the aircraft up sharply. This steep rotation brought the aft fuselage critically close to the pavement, though no tailstrike occurred. The aircraft climbed away safely and completed a second approach, touching down normally approximately 15 minutes later, according to Airnav Radar tracking data.
Lufthansa confirmed to Simple Flying that the aircraft executed a go-around and landed safely on the subsequent attempt. The carrier stressed that safety remains its primary operational priority, though it did not detail the specific cause behind the aborted landing.
Why it matters for your training
Managing pitch attitude during a balked landing after main gear touchdown is critical on long-fuselage widebodies to prevent structural runway contact.
Sources
Article rewritten with the help of AI from the cited sources.