FO MAKING TKOF WITH CAPT IN IOE EXPERIENCE IN HVT ACFT STRUCK TAIL ON TKOF.
Synopsis
FO MAKING TKOF WITH CAPT IN IOE EXPERIENCE IN HVT ACFT STRUCK TAIL ON TKOF.
Narrative
I RECENTLY CHKED OUT AS CAPT ON THE HVT. I AM STILL IN MY FIRST 100 HRS. USUALLY; I WOULD DO ALL THE TKOFS IN THAT PERIOD; BUT ON THE NIGHT IN QUESTION; I DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO LET THE FO DO THE DEP. THE FACTORS: HVY AIRPLANE (310000 POUNDS); NIGHT; OBSTACLES ON TKOF END OF RWY; MINIMAL RWY FOR WT. I FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR ME TO DELEGATE THE FLYING DUTIES TO THE FO (WHO HAS APPROX 3000 HRS IN TYPE) WHILE I SUPERVISED; OVERLOOKED PERFORMANCE; AND COORDINATED. TKOF ROLL WAS UNEVENTFUL AND A NORMAL 8 DEG ROTATION MADE. I CALLED 'V2;' AND ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS FELT THE PLANE LEAVE THE GND. THE FO DID THE SECONDARY ROTATION TO 12 DEG; AND WE FELT THE TAIL SKID STRIKE THE RWY. NO SERIOUS DAMAGE WAS CAUSED; BUT I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE TAIL STRUCK. ONE FACTOR: THIS PARTICULAR ACFT DOESN'T HAVE AN 18 DEG FLAP DETENT - - OUR NORMAL TKOF SETTING. 23 DEGS MUST BE USED. THIS RESULTS IN A SLOWER THAN USUAL TKOF AND SLUGGISH ELEVATOR CTL; PLUS REDUCED INITIAL CLB DUE TO HIGHER FLAP SETTING (MORE DRAG). PERHAPS THIS LED TO SOME OVER CTL AND AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF ROTATION TO 12 DEGS; BEFORE THE PLANE HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY BEGIN ITS CLB.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.