Air carrier large transport tailstrike during takeoff in a strong crosswind.

Attributes
ACN	84469
Time
Date	198803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	84469
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16950 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	84469
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Prior to taking runway 27L at ord in our large transport, we were given winds out of the south at 20 KTS. Gusts up to 40 KTS had been reported 10 or 15 mins earlier, but winds had been steady when we received takeoff clearance. Well into the takeoff roll, we heard tower give another aircraft on another runway a new wind report of gusts to 30 KTS. Since we were heavy weight, an abort did not seem prudent. Airspeed stagnated somewhat at around rotation time as thought we were experiencing a shear. The nose was somewhat difficult to unstick, and I had to exert higher than normal control forces, with cross controls. To keep the rotation going. Then the nose popped up as though lifted by a gust, and we became airborne. I heard a clunk as the mains unstuck, and the tailskid light confirmed the suspicion of contact with the runway. Climb out was normal, and flight manual procedures were used to cope with the tail skid extended indication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TAILSTRIKE DURING TKOF IN A STRONG CROSSWIND.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TAKING RWY 27L AT ORD IN OUR LGT, WE WERE GIVEN WINDS OUT OF THE S AT 20 KTS. GUSTS UP TO 40 KTS HAD BEEN RPTED 10 OR 15 MINS EARLIER, BUT WINDS HAD BEEN STEADY WHEN WE RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC. WELL INTO THE TKOF ROLL, WE HEARD TWR GIVE ANOTHER ACFT ON ANOTHER RWY A NEW WIND RPT OF GUSTS TO 30 KTS. SINCE WE WERE HEAVY WT, AN ABORT DID NOT SEEM PRUDENT. AIRSPD STAGNATED SOMEWHAT AT AROUND ROTATION TIME AS THOUGHT WE WERE EXPERIENCING A SHEAR. THE NOSE WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO UNSTICK, AND I HAD TO EXERT HIGHER THAN NORMAL CTL FORCES, WITH CROSS CTLS. TO KEEP THE ROTATION GOING. THEN THE NOSE POPPED UP AS THOUGH LIFTED BY A GUST, AND WE BECAME AIRBORNE. I HEARD A CLUNK AS THE MAINS UNSTUCK, AND THE TAILSKID LIGHT CONFIRMED THE SUSPICION OF CONTACT WITH THE RWY. CLBOUT WAS NORMAL, AND FLT MANUAL PROCS WERE USED TO COPE WITH THE TAIL SKID EXTENDED INDICATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.