February 16, 2025
UPS B767-300F Freighter Suffers Tailstrike After Diverting to San Bernardino

UPS B767-300F Freighter Suffers Tailstrike After Diverting to San Bernardino

A UPS B767-300F freighter which aborted a landing at Ontario (ONT) suffered a tailstrike after diverting to nearby San Bernadino (SBD) on 9 January.
Konstantin Von Wedelstaedt (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2), via Wikimedia Commons

A United Parcel Service (UPS) Boeing 767-300F freighter experiencing a tail strike landing after diverting to San Bernardino, CA on 9 January 2025.

United Parcel Service flight 5X2918, operated by a Boeing 767-300F freighter, was a scheduled service from Louisville International Airport (SDF). The flight was bound for Ontario International Airport (ONT).

UPS 5X2918 Louisville-Ontario


Flight track of UPS 5X2918 Louisville to Ontario, showing diversion to San Bernardino.

Following its approach into Ontario ONT, the aircraft conducted a missed approach, before diverting to nearby San Bernardino International Airport (SBD).

The aircraft was subsequently cleared for landing on runway 06 San Bernardino SBD.

According to the online source Aviation Herald, flight crew advised San Bernardino tower that they had sustained a tail strike during the landing procedure. The aircraft had experienced a zone of windshear, resulting in the approach becoming destabilised just before touchdown.

Following the landing incident, the aircraft managed to vacate the active runway and taxied to the apron hardstanding area.

Flight Details


Flight data shows that the flight 5X2918 had made a delayed departure from Louisville International Airport on 9 January. Actual time of departure for the flight was logged as 1732 local time. Scheduled departure time for the service was listed as 1546 local time.

Following departure, the flight had proceeded normally, climbing to flight level FL380 for the westerly service to California.

On arrival at the destination Ontario International Airport, the aircraft had descended to approximately 800 feet on final approach before executing a missed approach procedure.

The cause of the aborted landing attempt has not been specified, although winds were reported as gusting to 40 knots at the time of the flight’s arrival.

Following the missed approach, flight crew then elected to divert to nearby San Bernardino International Airport.

Konstantin Von Wedelstaedt (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2), via Wikimedia Commons

The aircraft conducting the 5X2918 rotation from Louisville was a Boeing 767-300F freighter, registered N324UP.

This is a 26.3-year-old converted freighter belonging to the carrier United Parcel Service. It has been an operational service with the operator in cargo configuration since October 1998.

Click the banner to subscribe to our weekly Emergencies and Incidents newsletter.

Click the photo to join our WhatsApp channel so then you can stay up to date with everything going on in the aviation industry!

Facebook
Twitter (X)
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Reddit
WhatsApp
Email
Threads

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *