What happened
On March 4, 2011, a McDonnell Douglas MD82, registration 8P-ARB, was performing high-speed taxi operations on Runway 09 at Grantley Adams International Airport near Bridgetown, Barbados. The aircraft, operated by AirOne Venture Ltd., was conducting system checks.
As the aircraft reached a speed of 80 knots, it underwent an inadvertent rotation, causing the nose wheel to lift off the runway surface. This rotation resulted in the tail and rear section of the aircraft impacting the runway. Despite the contact, the pilot continued the takeoff roll and the aircraft became airborne at 1436 UTC. The pilot subsequently returned to the airport and landed the aircraft safely at 1446 UTC.
There were no injuries resulting from the event. The aircraft sustained damage to its tail and rear section, and the runway surface sustained a 2-inch wide groove measuring 2,000 feet in length.