Air carrier large transport tail strike on takeoff from runway 21C at dtw. All takeoff data normal.

Attributes
ACN	128823
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 10500
ASRS Report	128823
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Hit tail skid on large transport after takeoff rotation. VFR runway 21C at dtw. Wind reported by tower when cleared for takeoff 270/15. Crew noticed a couple pauses in airspeed build-up during takeoff roll. Normal rotation produced noticeable lack of initial climb performance. Rotation was at proper speed. Gross weight and takeoff #'south subsequently checked out. Tail skid light remained on after clean confign. Proceeded to destination (mco) after noting sufficient fuel on board, considering skid down penalties. Dispatch was consulted. Fuel burn was less than flight plan. Damage on arrival: tail skid pad missing, 2 dents in air stair skin (probably hit by skid pad), rivets sheared at upper end of skid cylinder where it connects to aircraft, only about 1' of compression of cushion insert. Shear clip still in place. Tail skid failed to compress properly. Compression of insert could have been caused by previous unnoted strike or strikes. Damage should not occur until after cylinder is compressed to point of clip shear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TAIL STRIKE ON TKOF FROM RWY 21C AT DTW. ALL TKOF DATA NORMAL.

Narrative: HIT TAIL SKID ON LGT AFTER TKOF ROTATION. VFR RWY 21C AT DTW. WIND RPTED BY TWR WHEN CLRED FOR TKOF 270/15. CREW NOTICED A COUPLE PAUSES IN AIRSPD BUILD-UP DURING TKOF ROLL. NORMAL ROTATION PRODUCED NOTICEABLE LACK OF INITIAL CLB PERFORMANCE. ROTATION WAS AT PROPER SPD. GROSS WT AND TKOF #'S SUBSEQUENTLY CHKED OUT. TAIL SKID LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER CLEAN CONFIGN. PROCEEDED TO DEST (MCO) AFTER NOTING SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD, CONSIDERING SKID DOWN PENALTIES. DISPATCH WAS CONSULTED. FUEL BURN WAS LESS THAN FLT PLAN. DAMAGE ON ARR: TAIL SKID PAD MISSING, 2 DENTS IN AIR STAIR SKIN (PROBABLY HIT BY SKID PAD), RIVETS SHEARED AT UPPER END OF SKID CYLINDER WHERE IT CONNECTS TO ACFT, ONLY ABOUT 1' OF COMPRESSION OF CUSHION INSERT. SHEAR CLIP STILL IN PLACE. TAIL SKID FAILED TO COMPRESS PROPERLY. COMPRESSION OF INSERT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY PREVIOUS UNNOTED STRIKE OR STRIKES. DAMAGE SHOULD NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER CYLINDER IS COMPRESSED TO POINT OF CLIP SHEAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.