Narrative:

After a normal preflight and taxi; we were cleared for takeoff. The takeoff gross weight 360000 pounds; ATIS winds 240 degrees at 15 KTS; but actual were gusting during takeoff; and there is no windsock visible at the takeoff end of runway. During takeoff roll; rudder inputs felt sloppy and with the gusty winds; it was difficult to stay on centerline. My first officer made the second takeoff; with the same winds; load; passenger count; and almost the same fuel load. During his takeoff; he experienced the same difficulty staying on centerline and confirmed that the plane felt far from normal. As a result; we wrote up the sluggish response while using rudder on takeoff and landing roll. Also due to the gusty winds; the airspeed stagnated at V1 vr. I rotated at a normal rate and was extremely surprised to see a tailskid light and EICAS message after takeoff. I have a common practice and habit of rotating slowly to prevent such an incident. We leveled off at 12000 ft; entered holding; followed the QRH and fom procedures; descended to 8000 ft for manual pressurization; and notified the crew; passenger; and flight control. After reviewing all material; we made a 25 degree flap approach; with autobrakes at 3 degrees; and landed on runway. We chose 25 degrees flaps to avoid flap load relief; and landed on the longest runway. We rolled to the end of the runway; and cleared for the fire department to check our brakes. They informed us that they were fine; so we taxied back for the maintenance inspection. We requested a load audit via ACARS while en route to ZZZ1.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE ON TKOF IN GUSTY WINDS. THE CREW RTN TO LAND FOR A MAINT INSPECTION. ON THE SECOND DEPARTURE RUDDER ANOMALIES WERE CONFIRMED THAT WERE SUSPECTED ON THE INITIAL TKOF.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL PREFLT AND TAXI; WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. THE TKOF GROSS WT 360000 LBS; ATIS WINDS 240 DEGS AT 15 KTS; BUT ACTUAL WERE GUSTING DURING TKOF; AND THERE IS NO WINDSOCK VISIBLE AT THE TKOF END OF RWY. DURING TKOF ROLL; RUDDER INPUTS FELT SLOPPY AND WITH THE GUSTY WINDS; IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STAY ON CTRLINE. MY FO MADE THE SECOND TKOF; WITH THE SAME WINDS; LOAD; PAX COUNT; AND ALMOST THE SAME FUEL LOAD. DURING HIS TKOF; HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DIFFICULTY STAYING ON CTRLINE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PLANE FELT FAR FROM NORMAL. AS A RESULT; WE WROTE UP THE SLUGGISH RESPONSE WHILE USING RUDDER ON TKOF AND LNDG ROLL. ALSO DUE TO THE GUSTY WINDS; THE AIRSPD STAGNATED AT V1 VR. I ROTATED AT A NORMAL RATE AND WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED TO SEE A TAILSKID LIGHT AND EICAS MESSAGE AFTER TKOF. I HAVE A COMMON PRACTICE AND HABIT OF ROTATING SLOWLY TO PREVENT SUCH AN INCIDENT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 12000 FT; ENTERED HOLDING; FOLLOWED THE QRH AND FOM PROCS; DSNDED TO 8000 FT FOR MANUAL PRESSURIZATION; AND NOTIFIED THE CREW; PAX; AND FLT CTL. AFTER REVIEWING ALL MATERIAL; WE MADE A 25 DEG FLAP APCH; WITH AUTOBRAKES AT 3 DEGS; AND LANDED ON RWY. WE CHOSE 25 DEGS FLAPS TO AVOID FLAP LOAD RELIEF; AND LANDED ON THE LONGEST RWY. WE ROLLED TO THE END OF THE RWY; AND CLRED FOR THE FIRE DEPT TO CHK OUR BRAKES. THEY INFORMED US THAT THEY WERE FINE; SO WE TAXIED BACK FOR THE MAINT INSPECTION. WE REQUESTED A LOAD AUDIT VIA ACARS WHILE ENRTE TO ZZZ1.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.