Air France A350-900 Suffers Tail Strike

An Air France Airbus A350-900 with service from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Toronto, Canada, was forced to perform a go-around at Toronto following a tail strike.

The A350, registered as F-HYTH, was performing flight AF356 and arriving on runway 24L at Toronto Pearson. The incident occurred on Sunday, January 21, 2024.

Shortly after the go-around, the aircraft circled Toronto before making another approach and successful landing. Once arriving, the aircraft made its way to the gate, where damage became visible. Additionally, all those aboard safely exited the plane.

Video footage from Gusto Diaries shows the final moments of approach, the tailstrike and go-around performed by pilots.

Meanwhile, accompanying imagery showcases the tailstrike alongside the subsequent damage to the aircraft that was sustained. However, it’s important to note this is an A350-941, not an A350-800, which was never built.

A user on Aviation Herald named Paul claimed he was on the plane and said, “I was on the plane. The landing was smooth. I’ve had plenty of bounce landings. This wasn’t one. The pilot clearly stated, once we were stabilised that the runway was occupied. Why lie? It not going to be difficult to find out…. The tail strike is irrelevant. I’d like to know what was on the runway….”

An investigation will be conducted to understand what occurred and the process that led to such a result.