Sparks Fly: Kalitta Air Boeing 777 Suffers Dramatic Tailstrike During CVG Go-Around

HEBRON, KENTUCKY — A routine trans-Atlantic cargo flight turned into a heart-stopping aviation scare on Sunday evening, July 19, 2026, when a Kalitta Air Boeing 777 freighter suffered a dramatic tailstrike and generated a shower of sparks during a low-altitude go-around at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).

The aircraft, operating as flight K4 264, had just completed an eight-hour and 32-minute journey across the Atlantic after departing from Brussels Airport in Belgium at 5:47 PM.

Approaching CVG around 8:00 PM local time, the Boeing 777-300 freighter's flight crew faced sudden difficulties, compelling them to abort the landing and execute a go-around. Witnesses and local news reports indicated that the aircraft experienced a rough approach before attempting to climb back out.

During the aborted landing maneuver, the aircraft's tail scraped hard against the runway surface. Onlookers captured the harrowing moment on video, showing brilliant, fiery sparks erupting from the tail section as the massive jet momentarily skidded along the tarmac. One stunned witness could be heard shouting on a viral video clip circulating on social media, "Woah, woah, woah, woah golly!" as the sparks illuminated the runway.

According to local media and aviation tracking data, the aircraft was forced to circle back for subsequent attempts before successfully touching down safely on its third try at approximately 8:15 PM.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initial reports and airline executives quickly moved to address public concern following the circulation of the runway video.

Kalitta Air’s Chief Operating Officer, Heath Nicholl, confirmed the incident, stating that the aircraft experienced a "tail skid" during the attempted landing sequence.

"The flight landed safely shortly thereafter, and there were no injuries to the crew," Nicholl assured in a statement to local news outlets.

The airline confirmed that there were no injuries reported among those onboard. Following the safe landing, Kalitta Air immediately pulled the aircraft from active service. Flight data indicates the Boeing 777 was scheduled to be ferried to the airline's heavy maintenance facility at Oscoda–Wurtsmith Airport (OSC) in Michigan for comprehensive structural inspections and repairs.

The Federal Aviation Administration and internal company safety teams have launched a formal review to determine the exact factors that led to the tailstrike during the high-stakes go-around.