Narrative:

Runway direction 020 degrees. Wind reported 070 degrees at 21 KTS gusting to 30 KTS. Normal approach, myself flying (been flying in this aircraft for 9 1/2 yrs with similar conditions). Upon flare for touchdown, a gust ballooned the aircraft, and since I was already slow I added power and settled down for a normal landing and taxied in. While parked, the first officer did the usual walkaround and reported to me that the tailskid was smashed in. Neither of us had any idea that we had touched the tailskid. Neither did the flight attendant. I called dispatch and they sent a mechanic to check for structural damage (none). The unicom operator did not see it happen, but did say it was gusting to 30 KTS at the time I was in the flare for touchdown. We honestly don't know when or how we struck, whether it was the initial ballooning or the subsequent flare and touchdown. Obviously we reached an 8 degree angle or better at some point and didn't recognize it or feel it while dealing with the wind. I will pay greater attention to angle at touchdown in the future and maybe striving for a flatter, power-off carrier type landing will prevent ballooning of the plane with gusty conditions, but I don't relish doing that to the gear or the passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC8-100 TAIL STRIKE IN GUSTY CONDITIONS AT JHM.

Narrative: RWY DIRECTION 020 DEGS. WIND RPTED 070 DEGS AT 21 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. NORMAL APCH, MYSELF FLYING (BEEN FLYING IN THIS ACFT FOR 9 1/2 YRS WITH SIMILAR CONDITIONS). UPON FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN, A GUST BALLOONED THE ACFT, AND SINCE I WAS ALREADY SLOW I ADDED PWR AND SETTLED DOWN FOR A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXIED IN. WHILE PARKED, THE FO DID THE USUAL WALKAROUND AND RPTED TO ME THAT THE TAILSKID WAS SMASHED IN. NEITHER OF US HAD ANY IDEA THAT WE HAD TOUCHED THE TAILSKID. NEITHER DID THE FLT ATTENDANT. I CALLED DISPATCH AND THEY SENT A MECH TO CHK FOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE (NONE). THE UNICOM OPERATOR DID NOT SEE IT HAPPEN, BUT DID SAY IT WAS GUSTING TO 30 KTS AT THE TIME I WAS IN THE FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN. WE HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHEN OR HOW WE STRUCK, WHETHER IT WAS THE INITIAL BALLOONING OR THE SUBSEQUENT FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN. OBVIOUSLY WE REACHED AN 8 DEG ANGLE OR BETTER AT SOME POINT AND DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT OR FEEL IT WHILE DEALING WITH THE WIND. I WILL PAY GREATER ATTN TO ANGLE AT TOUCHDOWN IN THE FUTURE AND MAYBE STRIVING FOR A FLATTER, PWR-OFF CARRIER TYPE LNDG WILL PREVENT BALLOONING OF THE PLANE WITH GUSTY CONDITIONS, BUT I DON'T RELISH DOING THAT TO THE GEAR OR THE PAX.

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.