The aircraft was approaching Runway 27L at London Heathrow Airport at the end of a flight from Dubai. During the flare for landing the aircraft "floated" and the crew believed it would not land within the runway Touchdown Zone (TDZ). A go-around was initiated from low height and speed; the subsequent pitch rate caused the aircraft to reach a nose-up attitude sufficient to cause a tailstrike. The aircraft subsequently landed safely and there were no injuries to crew or passengers.
The investigation found that a go-around was initiated from low height and low speed. The aircraft had insufficient energy to climb immediately and so touched down during the go-around process. The pitch rate induced by the co-pilot caused the aircraft to reach a nose up attitude sufficient to cause a tailstrike as the aircraft touched down.
