What happened
Flight data recorder analysis indicates that while flying at 985 feet AGL with 50 degrees of flaps selected, the first officer failed to stabilize the approach. During this phase, the aircraft's pitch attitude fluctuated by approximately 2 degrees in conjunction with changes in elevator position. As the aircraft reached an altitude of 40 to 50 feet, the pitch attitude began decreasing.
At 20 feet AGL, the captain perceived a higher than normal rate of descent and took control of the aircraft by grabbing the yoke and pulling back. This resulted in a hard landing, which caused the airplane to bounce and oscillate at least three times. During these oscillations, the aircraft reached a maximum pitch-up attitude of 12.3 degrees, and the tail struck the runway.
Findings
Investigation into the flight controls revealed that both pilots were manipulating the controls simultaneously during the attempt to recover from the bounced landing. Additionally, the captain failed to use the verbal instructions required by the flight manual and company procedures when assuming control of the aircraft.