An American Airlines suffers tail strike during takeoff in Aruba, forcing the aircraft to return to Queen Beatrix International Airport after remaining in the air for more than two hours as a safety precaution.
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A321-200 with registration N120EE, operating as Flight AA870 from Aruba to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The incident occurred around 1:54 PM on Thursday while the aircraft was taking off from Runway 11 at Aruba’s airport.
Tail Strike During Rotation
According to reports, as the aircraft accelerated for takeoff and began its rotation, the tail section of the aircraft struck the runway and scraped along the surface for several seconds before the plane lifted off.
This type of incident is known in aviation as a tail strike, which occurs when the rear part of an aircraft touches the runway during takeoff or landing.
When such an event occurs, pilots must follow strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to ensure the safety of the aircraft and passengers.
Aircraft Remains Airborne to Burn Fuel
After the tail strike, the flight crew informed Air Traffic Control in Aruba and requested permission to return to the airport.
Before landing, the aircraft needed to remain airborne to burn fuel, making the aircraft lighter and reducing stress on the airframe during landing.
The plane stayed at a relatively low altitude—below 10,000 feet and around 4,000 feet—while flying in a circular pattern over the Caribbean Sea south of Aruba.
The aircraft remained in the air for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes before returning to the airport.
Runway Inspection and Flight Delays
Meanwhile, airport authorities inspected Runway 11 to ensure that no debris from the aircraft had fallen onto the runway during the tail strike.
Emergency and airport vehicles were deployed to conduct the inspection, which temporarily disrupted airport operations.
Several arriving aircraft—including flights from Delta Airlines and Copa Airlines—were required to circle above the island while waiting for the runway inspection to be completed.
Some departing flights were also delayed for about 40 minutes before operations resumed around 2:40 PM.
Safe Landing and Flight Cancellation
After burning enough fuel, the American Airlines Airbus suffers tail strike during takeoff in Aruba returned to Queen Beatrix International Airport.
The aircraft landed safely around 4:16 PM, with airport fire trucks positioned on standby as a precaution.
Following the incident, Flight AA870 to Philadelphia was canceled, and passengers were provided with local accommodations.
Confusion Over Emergency Response
The situation also caused confusion outside the airport, where several roads leading to the airport were temporarily closed by police.
Some passengers reportedly had to walk a considerable distance with their luggage after taxis dropped them off away from the terminal.
However, according to an official airport statement, the situation was not classified as a major emergency.
The airport confirmed that the incident was handled under a “Local Standby” protocol, meaning emergency services were placed on alert purely as a precaution.
“This is not considered an emergency, and the airport remains open and operational,” the airport stated in a message to the press.
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