Narrative:

The runway in use was 22L. Takeoff roll was initiated at intersection 'M'. WX was clear, 58 degree F, wind 270/9 KTS. Aircraft weight was 169,000 pounds and full takeoff power was utilized. Takeoff roll was normal, except for 3 or 4 bumps (increasing in severity with speed) caused by the roughness of the runway. At each bump the nose of the aircraft came up and forward pressure was necessary to maintain it on the runway. At, or just after, rotation, with a speed of 137 KTS (V1 R1), we experienced the last bump which was fairly sharp. Rotation was normal as was the climb out. The tailskid of the aircraft contacted the ground on rotation. The tailskid cylinder was fractured but the honeycomb cylinder was not compressed. It is my belief that the contacting of the runway was not caused by an over-rotation but by the sharp jolt experienced at the critical V1 R1 point. Runway 22L-4R at newark airport is well known for its rough condition and I believe that this condition was the significant factor in this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT STRUCK TAILSKID DURING TKOF AT EWR.

Narrative: THE RWY IN USE WAS 22L. TKOF ROLL WAS INITIATED AT INTXN 'M'. WX WAS CLR, 58 DEG F, WIND 270/9 KTS. ACFT WEIGHT WAS 169,000 POUNDS AND FULL TKOF PWR WAS UTILIZED. TKOF ROLL WAS NORMAL, EXCEPT FOR 3 OR 4 BUMPS (INCREASING IN SEVERITY WITH SPD) CAUSED BY THE ROUGHNESS OF THE RWY. AT EACH BUMP THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CAME UP AND FORWARD PRESSURE WAS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN IT ON THE RWY. AT, OR JUST AFTER, ROTATION, WITH A SPD OF 137 KTS (V1 R1), WE EXPERIENCED THE LAST BUMP WHICH WAS FAIRLY SHARP. ROTATION WAS NORMAL AS WAS THE CLB OUT. THE TAILSKID OF THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GND ON ROTATION. THE TAILSKID CYLINDER WAS FRACTURED BUT THE HONEYCOMB CYLINDER WAS NOT COMPRESSED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE CONTACTING OF THE RWY WAS NOT CAUSED BY AN OVER-ROTATION BUT BY THE SHARP JOLT EXPERIENCED AT THE CRITICAL V1 R1 POINT. RWY 22L-4R AT NEWARK ARPT IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS ROUGH CONDITION AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS CONDITION WAS THE SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT.

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.