Tail skid strike on touchdown.

Attributes
ACN	122605
Time
Date	198909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
ASRS Report	122605
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Following a stabilized automatic-coupled approach to runway 35R in moderate rain and apparently steady wind, the autoplt was disconnected at 100' AGL. At that time it was noted that airspeed was on target, sink rate steady 700 FPM, engines spooled up and on G/south (as throughout the approach). Within approximately 3 seconds after autoplt disconnect, the sink rate increased sharply west/O and perceptible change in attitude or power. The captain increased thrust. Both the first officer and second officer noted and announced the high sink rate and the captain continued increasing thrust. A bounce ensued and the captain continued to track the centerline and adjust power and pitch. A second bounce followed, which struck the tail skid. Flight conditions required the use of engine anti-ice; however, no structural icing was evident. The radar reflected nothing other than scattered areas of light precipitation, even though the rain intensity appeared to increase during the event. Because the sink rate appeared to increase in only the last 50-60', there was little time to react. Although a more aggressive application of thrust may not have, in this case, enabled us to cushion the initial T/D, it may have provided us with enough energy to more successfully have recovered (a flatter angle) from the bounce (given ample runway), or accomplished a go around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL SKID STRIKE ON TOUCHDOWN.

Narrative: FOLLOWING A STABILIZED AUTO-COUPLED APCH TO RWY 35R IN MODERATE RAIN AND APPARENTLY STEADY WIND, THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AT 100' AGL. AT THAT TIME IT WAS NOTED THAT AIRSPD WAS ON TARGET, SINK RATE STEADY 700 FPM, ENGS SPOOLED UP AND ON G/S (AS THROUGHOUT THE APCH). WITHIN APPROX 3 SECS AFTER AUTOPLT DISCONNECT, THE SINK RATE INCREASED SHARPLY W/O AND PERCEPTIBLE CHANGE IN ATTITUDE OR PWR. THE CAPT INCREASED THRUST. BOTH THE F/O AND S/O NOTED AND ANNOUNCED THE HIGH SINK RATE AND THE CAPT CONTINUED INCREASING THRUST. A BOUNCE ENSUED AND THE CAPT CONTINUED TO TRACK THE CENTERLINE AND ADJUST PWR AND PITCH. A SECOND BOUNCE FOLLOWED, WHICH STRUCK THE TAIL SKID. FLT CONDITIONS REQUIRED THE USE OF ENG ANTI-ICE; HOWEVER, NO STRUCTURAL ICING WAS EVIDENT. THE RADAR REFLECTED NOTHING OTHER THAN SCATTERED AREAS OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION, EVEN THOUGH THE RAIN INTENSITY APPEARED TO INCREASE DURING THE EVENT. BECAUSE THE SINK RATE APPEARED TO INCREASE IN ONLY THE LAST 50-60', THERE WAS LITTLE TIME TO REACT. ALTHOUGH A MORE AGGRESSIVE APPLICATION OF THRUST MAY NOT HAVE, IN THIS CASE, ENABLED US TO CUSHION THE INITIAL T/D, IT MAY HAVE PROVIDED US WITH ENOUGH ENERGY TO MORE SUCCESSFULLY HAVE RECOVERED (A FLATTER ANGLE) FROM THE BOUNCE (GIVEN AMPLE RWY), OR ACCOMPLISHED A GAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.