What happened
The aircraft was being flown manually for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 8L at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The approach became unstable near the middle marker, with the vertical speed increasing to approximately 1290 feet per minute about five seconds before touchdown. A company check airman in the right seat instructed the initial operating experience (IOE) captain in the left seat to raise the nose. As the captain initiated the flare, the check airman also applied nose-up control inputs. The aircraft touched down three times, and the aft fuselage contacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage.
The investigation
The IOE captain had completed his first-class physical examination five days prior to the accident. He underwent bypass surgery 17 days after the event. Additionally, he reported experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath three to four years earlier, which had been diagnosed as a hiatal hernia. These same symptoms reappeared about one week before he began L-1011 ground school.
Findings
The accident flight was conducted on the second day of the captain's IOE in the Lockheed L-1011. The unstable approach and subsequent control inputs contributed to the multiple touchdown events and tail strike.