CAPT OF AN LTT ACR ACFT HIT THE TAILSKID DURING LNDG DUE TO THE ACFT AFT CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS EXCEEDED.

Date: 1993-08 · Aircraft: Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|other-unspecified

Synopsis

CAPT OF AN LTT ACR ACFT HIT THE TAILSKID DURING LNDG DUE TO THE ACFT AFT CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS EXCEEDED.

Narrative

THE TRIP WAS A SCHEDULED FLT FROM JFK TO ALB. DURING BOARDING IN JFK MY FO ADVISED ME THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE ALL THE BAGS WHICH WERE LOADED IN THE TAIL CARGO AREA DUE TO AFT CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS. I INSTRUCTED RAMP AGENTS TO REMOVE 4 BAGS AND ASKED OUR FLT ATTENDANT TO MOVE SOME PAX FORWARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMPANY PROCS. MY FO COMPLETED THE MANIFEST USING THE NEW NUMBERS AND ADVISED ME THAT WE WERE WITHIN LIMITS AND WE DEPARTED FOR ALB. TKOF AND FLT TO ALB ALL NORMAL. ON LNDG IN ALB; AS THE MAIN WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN; THE NOSE OF THE ACFT BEGAN TO RISE. I COUNTERED THIS WITH FULL NOSE DOWN ELEVATOR WHICH HAD NO EFFECT. I THEN APPLIED A BURST OF PWR. THE NOSE STOPPED RISING AND THEN BEGAN TO FALL TO THE RWY. THE ROLLOUT AND TAXI TO GATE WERE NORMAL. WHILE I DIDN'T FEEL THE TAIL CONTACT THE RWY ON LNDG; A POST-FLT INSPECTION REVEALED A BENT TAIL STAND BRACKET AND PAINT MISSING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TAIL. OUR COMPANY USES AN AVERAGE WT OF 35 LBS FOR BAGS ON JFK FLTS. I BELIEVE THIS IS TOO LOW. SOME BAGS ARE SO HVY IT REQUIRES 2 RAMP AGENTS TO LIFT THEM INTO THE ACFT. THE RAMP WORKERS ARE REQUIRED TO COUNT A HVY BAG AS 2; BUT THE COMPANY FREQUENTLY MAKES EVERYONE AWARE OF THE COST OF SEPARATING PAX AND THEIR BAGS. I BELIEVE SOME FLTS DEPART WITH MORE BAGS ON BOARD THAN THE CREW KNOWS ABOUT; AND I BELIEVE MOST BAGS ARE HEAVIER THAN 35 LBS RESULTING IN A HIGHER GROSS WT AND POSSIBLY AN OUT OF LIMITS CTR OF GRAVITY -- EVEN WHEN THE MANIFEST SHOWS ALL IS OK.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.