Tail strike in a B737-800 during a rotation rate that appeared to increase slightly at takeoff at df...

Attributes
ACN	581626
Time
Date	200305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	581626
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	581627
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : cab 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Following a normal start and taxi through the takeoff run, experienced a tail strike during a liftoff from the runway. Winds at the time were 090 degrees at 9 KTS (ATIS). Winds seemed gusty during takeoff roll. Rotation rate seemed to start out normally but increased slightly at liftoff with no additional force applied. I heard a muffled noise at the same time. Shortly after takeoff, the flight attendant called forward to say she thought she had heard a noise and also thought the tail had hit the ground. While the captain coordinated completion of the abnormal procedure with the company (maintenance), I coordinated with ATC to return to dfw. Return flight and landing were uneventful. Maintenance inspection revealed scraped paint on tailskid but noted no other damage to tailskid unit. Aircraft was inspected in accordance with maintenance procedures, released for flight and re-dispatched to slc. During following takeoff, captain noted the nose seemed to want to rotate faster than normal. Postflt load audit was conducted and revealed cargo was 500 pounds heavier than indicated. Maintenance results of stabilizer inspection are pending.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL STRIKE IN A B737-800 DURING A ROTATION RATE THAT APPEARED TO INCREASE SLIGHTLY AT TKOF AT DFW, TX.

Narrative: FOLLOWING A NORMAL START AND TAXI THROUGH THE TKOF RUN, EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE DURING A LIFTOFF FROM THE RWY. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE 090 DEGS AT 9 KTS (ATIS). WINDS SEEMED GUSTY DURING TKOF ROLL. ROTATION RATE SEEMED TO START OUT NORMALLY BUT INCREASED SLIGHTLY AT LIFTOFF WITH NO ADDITIONAL FORCE APPLIED. I HEARD A MUFFLED NOISE AT THE SAME TIME. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED FORWARD TO SAY SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD HEARD A NOISE AND ALSO THOUGHT THE TAIL HAD HIT THE GND. WHILE THE CAPT COORDINATED COMPLETION OF THE ABNORMAL PROC WITH THE COMPANY (MAINT), I COORDINATED WITH ATC TO RETURN TO DFW. RETURN FLT AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. MAINT INSPECTION REVEALED SCRAPED PAINT ON TAILSKID BUT NOTED NO OTHER DAMAGE TO TAILSKID UNIT. ACFT WAS INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MAINT PROCS, RELEASED FOR FLT AND RE-DISPATCHED TO SLC. DURING FOLLOWING TKOF, CAPT NOTED THE NOSE SEEMED TO WANT TO ROTATE FASTER THAN NORMAL. POSTFLT LOAD AUDIT WAS CONDUCTED AND REVEALED CARGO WAS 500 LBS HEAVIER THAN INDICATED. MAINT RESULTS OF STABILIZER INSPECTION ARE PENDING.

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.

Tail strike in a B737-800 during a rotation rate that appeared to increase slightly at takeoff at dfw, tx.