Singapore Airlines jet suffers damage to tail during aborted landing at Changi Airport

[SINGAPORE] A Singapore Airlines (SIA) jet damaged its tail while landing at Changi Airport on Jan 24, after arriving from Manila amid windy conditions.

All 256 passengers and 16 crew members on the Airbus A350-900, flight SQ917, disembarked normally, an SIA spokesperson told The Straits Times on Jan 27.

The aircraft had a rejected landing at 6.07pm due to wind conditions at the airport. During the manoeuvre, its tail made contact with the runway, the spokesperson added.

A rejected landing is also known as aborted landing, where the pilot aborts a landing right before or after touchdown.

“The aircraft went around and landed safely at 6.32pm, and taxied to the terminal uneventfully. All customers and crew disembarked normally,” SIA said.

Distinct scrap marks can be seen on the underside of the aircraft’s tail in a photo posted on X by user @aviationbrk.

The SIA spokesperson added that the aircraft is undergoing repairs.

ST has contacted the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) for more information on the wind conditions at Changi Airport on the day of the incident. THE STRAITS TIMES