What happened
On June 14, 2002, a Canadian Airbus A330-343 departed from Frankfurt/Main on runway 25 R, bound for Montreal. The aircraft was carrying 253 passengers and 13 crew members. During the rotation phase of the takeoff, the rear underside of the fuselage made contact with the runway, resulting in a tailstrike.
The flight crew did not initially realize that the aircraft had struck the runway. However, air traffic controllers in the Frankfurt tower observed the event and notified the pilots. Following this notification, the crew requested a holding pattern to evaluate the situation and determine the appropriate course of action. The crew ultimately decided to perform a return to the airport, opting for an overweight landing in Frankfurt, which was completed without further incident.
The investigation
Following the occurrence, the BFU delegated the investigation of this serious incident to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The investigation focused on the mechanics of the rotation and the data entered into the aircraft's flight management systems.
Findings
Post-flight inspections revealed damage to the lower fuselage, specifically an area of the skin that had been abraded over a length of approximately 2 meters and a width ranging from 40 to 60 cm.
The investigation established that the tailstrike was caused by rotating at an insufficient speed (VR). This low rotation speed was the direct result of an incorrectly entered V1 decision speed into the Multipurpose Control Display Unit (MCDU).