B767 with engine problem return land and incurs tail strike on touchdown at dfw.

Attributes
ACN	420751
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : dfw tracon : dfw tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	420751
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb and cruise, passenger reported seeing sparks coming from left engine. Sent first officer back and he reported seeing same type of sparks. I went back and at 3-4 min intervals saw roman candle like sparks from left engine. Contacted dispatch and declared emergency, returned to dfw. Landed at 370900 pounds, flaps 25 degrees. Normal touchdown sink rate less 100 FPM. Upon touchdown, tailskid light illuminated. During postflt skid was scratched but red cartridge button was not protruding. Debriefed maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 WITH ENG PROB RETURN LAND AND INCURS TAIL STRIKE ON TOUCHDOWN AT DFW.

Narrative: DURING CLB AND CRUISE, PAX RPTED SEEING SPARKS COMING FROM L ENG. SENT FO BACK AND HE RPTED SEEING SAME TYPE OF SPARKS. I WENT BACK AND AT 3-4 MIN INTERVALS SAW ROMAN CANDLE LIKE SPARKS FROM L ENG. CONTACTED DISPATCH AND DECLARED EMER, RETURNED TO DFW. LANDED AT 370900 LBS, FLAPS 25 DEGS. NORMAL TOUCHDOWN SINK RATE LESS 100 FPM. UPON TOUCHDOWN, TAILSKID LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DURING POSTFLT SKID WAS SCRATCHED BUT RED CARTRIDGE BUTTON WAS NOT PROTRUDING. DEBRIEFED MAINT.

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.