Tail strike, Brisbane Airport, Queensland, on 23 October 2008, VH-NJM, British Aerospace BAe 146-300

On 23 October 2008 at 2357 Eastern Standard Time, a British Aerospace BAe 146-300 aircraft, registered VH-NJM, operating a freighter flight, had a tail strike on landing at Brisbane Airport, Qld.

The aircraft and crew had commenced duty earlier that evening at Adelaide, SA and had flown via Sydney, NSW to Brisbane. The aircraft and crew then did the reverse sectors back to Adelaide. It was only after landing at Adelaide that the crew became aware of the tail strike.

Damage to the aircraft consisted of abrasion to the tail strike indicator through to the fuselage skin and abrasion to the fuselage skin. There was also damage to the aircraft's structural frame under the tail strike indicator.

The aircraft manufacturer had identified an increase in the number of BAe 146-300 tail strikes and has recommended a number of procedural changes for flight crew. The aircraft operator has implemented those changes and issued notices to flight crew highlighting the risks and conditions for tail strike.