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Captain of an large transport struck tail boom skid during takeoff and did not know it even though the tail skid light did not go out after gear retraction.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 304235 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199505 |
| Day | Wed |
| 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 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 13800 flight time type : 7500 |
| ASRS Report | 304235 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was making the takeoff. During the takeoff out of msp I apparently hit the tail skid. Nobody in the cockpit knew what had happened until we raised the gear and we saw we had a tail skid light on, on the so's panel. We sent a message to our company telling them we had a tail skid light on. The airplane performed as if the tail skid had actually retracted. The cockpit operating manual was consulted. The cruise speed and power settings to hold the proper speed were normal indicating to me that the tail skid had actually operated normally. We carefully monitored the fuel consumption during our flight to las. We landed with 1700 pounds of fuel more than the flight plan called for. After parking the plane at the gate I checked the tail skid. It was damaged, indicating I had hit it during our takeoff out of msp. I can't explain how it happened, the rotation rate did not feel too fast. It felt like any normal takeoff I have made in the past 15 yrs.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN LGT STRUCK TAIL BOOM SKID DURING TKOF AND DID NOT KNOW IT EVEN THOUGH THE TAIL SKID LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT AFTER GEAR RETRACTION.
Narrative: I WAS MAKING THE TKOF. DURING THE TKOF OUT OF MSP I APPARENTLY HIT THE TAIL SKID. NOBODY IN THE COCKPIT KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED UNTIL WE RAISED THE GEAR AND WE SAW WE HAD A TAIL SKID LIGHT ON, ON THE SO'S PANEL. WE SENT A MESSAGE TO OUR COMPANY TELLING THEM WE HAD A TAIL SKID LIGHT ON. THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED AS IF THE TAIL SKID HAD ACTUALLY RETRACTED. THE COCKPIT OPERATING MANUAL WAS CONSULTED. THE CRUISE SPD AND PWR SETTINGS TO HOLD THE PROPER SPD WERE NORMAL INDICATING TO ME THAT THE TAIL SKID HAD ACTUALLY OPERATED NORMALLY. WE CAREFULLY MONITORED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION DURING OUR FLT TO LAS. WE LANDED WITH 1700 LBS OF FUEL MORE THAN THE FLT PLAN CALLED FOR. AFTER PARKING THE PLANE AT THE GATE I CHKED THE TAIL SKID. IT WAS DAMAGED, INDICATING I HAD HIT IT DURING OUR TKOF OUT OF MSP. I CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW IT HAPPENED, THE ROTATION RATE DID NOT FEEL TOO FAST. IT FELT LIKE ANY NORMAL TKOF I HAVE MADE IN THE PAST 15 YRS.
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.