Tail bumper strike on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	302646
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
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	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	302646
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 7400 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	303352
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Tailstrike during high gross weight takeoff. First officer making takeoff used unexpectedly high rate of rotation. Reduced high rate of rotation. Reduced flap confign was used because of high gross weight. During taxi out, 5 degrees flaps were selected, but approximately 3 degrees were indicated on the gauge. Although this is not a normal indication, it was not unusual. After takeoff, but prior to flap retraction, flap indicator showed 0 degrees flaps while handle was still at 5 degrees. If the flaps had indeed retracted uncommanded, this would have contributed to the likelihood of a tail strike. First officer showed high competence in all areas during first 2 days of trip, so my confidence in her ability resulted in my eliminating a reminder about rotation rates in this situation during the pre-takeoff briefing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL BUMPER STRIKE ON TKOF.

Narrative: TAILSTRIKE DURING HIGH GROSS WT TKOF. FO MAKING TKOF USED UNEXPECTEDLY HIGH RATE OF ROTATION. REDUCED HIGH RATE OF ROTATION. REDUCED FLAP CONFIGN WAS USED BECAUSE OF HIGH GROSS WT. DURING TAXI OUT, 5 DEGS FLAPS WERE SELECTED, BUT APPROX 3 DEGS WERE INDICATED ON THE GAUGE. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A NORMAL INDICATION, IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL. AFTER TKOF, BUT PRIOR TO FLAP RETRACTION, FLAP INDICATOR SHOWED 0 DEGS FLAPS WHILE HANDLE WAS STILL AT 5 DEGS. IF THE FLAPS HAD INDEED RETRACTED UNCOMMANDED, THIS WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LIKELIHOOD OF A TAIL STRIKE. FO SHOWED HIGH COMPETENCE IN ALL AREAS DURING FIRST 2 DAYS OF TRIP, SO MY CONFIDENCE IN HER ABILITY RESULTED IN MY ELIMINATING A REMINDER ABOUT ROTATION RATES IN THIS SIT DURING THE PRE-TKOF BRIEFING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.