Kalitta 777 tail strikes CVG runway; FAA investigates

A Kalitta Air Boeing 777-300ER operating Flight 264 scraped the runway during a go-around while attempting to land at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport after arriving from Brussels, with sparks visible from the rear as it skimmed the surface. The FAA said there were no injuries, and Kalitta Air confirmed the crew was unharmed and that the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection before being moved to the airline’s heavy maintenance facility in Michigan. The jet later landed safely and was scheduled to ferry to Oscoda–Wurtsmith Airport for maintenance. FAA investigators will examine the incident, which was captured in video showing the tail strike and subsequent climb back into the air. Kalitta’s COO Heath Nicholl reiterated that the aircraft was grounded for thorough structural checks and that the crew’s safety was the priority. The incident has been under close review by aviation authorities, with investigators expected to determine the cause of the tail strike and the go-around procedure.