DHC8-100 TAIL STRIKE IN GUSTY CONDITIONS AT JHM.

Narrative

RWY DIRECTION 020 DEGS. WIND RPTED 070 DEGS AT 21 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. NORMAL APCH; MYSELF FLYING (BEEN FLYING IN THIS ACFT FOR 9 1/2 YRS WITH SIMILAR CONDITIONS). UPON FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN; A GUST BALLOONED THE ACFT; AND SINCE I WAS ALREADY SLOW I ADDED PWR AND SETTLED DOWN FOR A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXIED IN. WHILE PARKED; THE FO DID THE USUAL WALKAROUND AND RPTED TO ME THAT THE TAILSKID WAS SMASHED IN. NEITHER OF US HAD ANY IDEA THAT WE HAD TOUCHED THE TAILSKID. NEITHER DID THE FLT ATTENDANT. I CALLED DISPATCH AND THEY SENT A MECH TO CHK FOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE (NONE). THE UNICOM OPERATOR DID NOT SEE IT HAPPEN; BUT DID SAY IT WAS GUSTING TO 30 KTS AT THE TIME I WAS IN THE FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN. WE HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHEN OR HOW WE STRUCK; WHETHER IT WAS THE INITIAL BALLOONING OR THE SUBSEQUENT FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN. OBVIOUSLY WE REACHED AN 8 DEG ANGLE OR BETTER AT SOME POINT AND DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT OR FEEL IT WHILE DEALING WITH THE WIND. I WILL PAY GREATER ATTN TO ANGLE AT TOUCHDOWN IN THE FUTURE AND MAYBE STRIVING FOR A FLATTER; PWR-OFF CARRIER TYPE LNDG WILL PREVENT BALLOONING OF THE PLANE WITH GUSTY CONDITIONS; BUT I DON'T RELISH DOING THAT TO THE GEAR OR THE PAX.