Close shave for American Airlines A321XLR as flight narrowly avoids tail strike on landing, video shows tense moment; watch here

Chilling visuals have surfaced showing a near tail strike incident on landing for American Airlines Airbus A321XLR, flight AA255 from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The video was shared by Airline Videos on X, which claimed that it was captured on the 24/7 Airline Videos Live broadcast on January 15, 2026.

The 41-second-long video clip shows the American Airlines Airbus A321XLR approaching the runway during landing. The footage was apparently captured from a ground-based vantage point consistent with an airport perimeter or spotting location.

In the clip it was seen that as the aircraft flares just above the runway, its nose is noticeably pitched upward, bringing the rear fuselage close to the runway surface. The aircraft appears to momentarily fly very low in the flare before the main landing gear makes contact.


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From the camera angle, the tail section appears to pass extremely close to the runway, creating the visual impression of a near tail strike. The aircraft then settles onto the runway and continues its landing roll without any visible abnormal movement or interruption. The video ends with the aircraft remaining under control as it rolls out after touchdown.

What Is a Tail Strike?

A tail strike occurs when an aircraft’s tail strikes the runway or another object during takeoff or landing, according to Simply Flying. It can result from multiple factors and occur in several situations.

The strikes don't impact passengers too much if they are not severe. But these strikes can cause severe issues to the fuselage and hence require thorough checks each time.