Kalitta Air. Photo: Eliyahu Yosef Parypa / Shutterstock.com The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating after a Kalitta Air cargo aircraft experienced a tail strike while attempting to land in Kentucky.
According to the FAA, Kalitta Air Flight 264 landed safely at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport at approximately 8:15 p.m. local time on Sunday, July 19, after the tail of the Boeing 777-300ER scraped the runway during a go-around maneuver.
The flight had departed from Brussels Airport in Belgium and was operating an international cargo service to the United States.
A go-around is a standard aviation procedure in which pilots discontinue a landing approach and climb away from the runway before attempting another landing or proceeding as directed by air traffic control.
The FAA said the aircraft landed safely following the incident and confirmed that it will investigate the circumstances surrounding the tail strike.
No additional details regarding potential damage to the aircraft or the number of crew members on board were immediately available. The agency noted that the information released is preliminary and subject to change.
Kalitta Air, a Michigan-based cargo carrier known for operating a fleet of wide-body aircraft, has not yet provided further information about the flight.
The FAA's investigation is expected to determine what factors contributed to the runway contact during the go-around procedure.