It was a scary scene as "[t]he tail of Kalitta Air Flight 264 scraped the runway while doing a go-around after attempting to land at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport" on Sunday, July 19, according to the New York Post. That is per the Federal Aviation Administration. The aircraft was a Boeing 777-300 ER coming from Belgium.
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The Plane Had a Tail Skid
Per Fox19, it was a cargo plane that experienced what is called a "tail skid," in the words of Heath Nicholl, the COO of Kalitta Air. He said, "The event is under review, and we do not have any additional information to provide at this time." That plane is reportedly not in service while it undergoes a thorough inspection.
Video of the alarming incident on the Fox19 web site shows the plane's tail scraping across the ground. It leaves a big swath of sparks in its wake. A spectator watching this can be heard exclaiming, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, golly, holy maelstrom!:" The plane then ascends into the sky.
According to WLWT NBC5, the pilots of the plane "declared an emergency." It sounds like there was quite a bit of difficulty with making the landing. Two landings were allegedly aborted before a third one was finally successful.
There Was a Cargo Plane Disaster in Kentucky Last Year
Per CBS News, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, UPS Flight 2976, a cargo plane headed for Hawaii, crashed moments after taking off. It left from from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky. The crash was spectacular and deadly because the plane was loaded with thousands of gallons of fuel for the very lengthy flight. It all burst into flames upon impact, with a huge cloud of billowing black smoke visible for miles.
Tragically, the three members of the pane's crew perished. Also, a dozen more who were on the ground died as well.
The next day, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear talked about the measures that were being taken in the immediate aftermath of this disaster. He said, "This is a tough day for Kentucky after yesterday's deadly plane crash. Right now, the families of those we lost need prayers, love and support. Let's wrap our arms around them during this unimaginable time."
