Narrative:

Tail skid scraped on takeoff due to possible over rotation rate during performance limited takeoff at high elevation airport. After liftoff, the captain advised me that the noise on takeoff was the sound of scraping the tail skid. I immediately had a sinking feeling in my mind for letting down our passenger and my colleagues (crew, company and friends). I thought the noise was the nosewheel spinning down after a long high speed ground roll. Also, after gear retraction, the so advised that the tail skid light was illuminated. I then felt even worse (like a snail) knowing we could not continue to planned destination due to fuel penalty with tail skid extended. During departure we were given a heading to fly out of a specific altitude and cleared to climb higher. We wanted to stay in departure control airspace while slowing to cycle gear and return if necessary. We were given headings and altitude to fly. Cycling gear was fruitless, my last hope for continuing to planned destination vaporized. Captain communication with company resulted in continuing to a company hub closer than our planned destination. At this point I came out of a shell to pilot the airplane again. For a short time after the tail scrape I was not flying ahead of the aircraft. The shame was incredible -- I never scratched paint, now I damaged an airliner at my own hands. It feels like I should walk the plank. Corrective action includes pilot grounding pending further training. A valuable lesson is to put the past behind and always fly ahead of the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF AN LGT STRUCK THE ACFT TAIL DURING TKOF DUE TO OVER ROTATION ON LIFTOFF RESULTING IN A PLANNED STOP SHORT OF DEST DUE TO REDUCED FUEL RANGE WITH THE TAIL SKID DOWN.

Narrative: TAIL SKID SCRAPED ON TKOF DUE TO POSSIBLE OVER ROTATION RATE DURING PERFORMANCE LIMITED TKOF AT HIGH ELEVATION ARPT. AFTER LIFTOFF, THE CAPT ADVISED ME THAT THE NOISE ON TKOF WAS THE SOUND OF SCRAPING THE TAIL SKID. I IMMEDIATELY HAD A SINKING FEELING IN MY MIND FOR LETTING DOWN OUR PAX AND MY COLLEAGUES (CREW, COMPANY AND FRIENDS). I THOUGHT THE NOISE WAS THE NOSEWHEEL SPINNING DOWN AFTER A LONG HIGH SPD GND ROLL. ALSO, AFTER GEAR RETRACTION, THE SO ADVISED THAT THE TAIL SKID LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I THEN FELT EVEN WORSE (LIKE A SNAIL) KNOWING WE COULD NOT CONTINUE TO PLANNED DEST DUE TO FUEL PENALTY WITH TAIL SKID EXTENDED. DURING DEP WE WERE GIVEN A HDG TO FLY OUT OF A SPECIFIC ALT AND CLRED TO CLB HIGHER. WE WANTED TO STAY IN DEP CTL AIRSPACE WHILE SLOWING TO CYCLE GEAR AND RETURN IF NECESSARY. WE WERE GIVEN HDGS AND ALT TO FLY. CYCLING GEAR WAS FRUITLESS, MY LAST HOPE FOR CONTINUING TO PLANNED DEST VAPORIZED. CAPT COM WITH COMPANY RESULTED IN CONTINUING TO A COMPANY HUB CLOSER THAN OUR PLANNED DEST. AT THIS POINT I CAME OUT OF A SHELL TO PLT THE AIRPLANE AGAIN. FOR A SHORT TIME AFTER THE TAIL SCRAPE I WAS NOT FLYING AHEAD OF THE ACFT. THE SHAME WAS INCREDIBLE -- I NEVER SCRATCHED PAINT, NOW I DAMAGED AN AIRLINER AT MY OWN HANDS. IT FEELS LIKE I SHOULD WALK THE PLANK. CORRECTIVE ACTION INCLUDES PLT GNDING PENDING FURTHER TRAINING. A VALUABLE LESSON IS TO PUT THE PAST BEHIND AND ALWAYS FLY AHEAD OF THE ACFT.

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.