Narrative:

During the captain's takeoff from runway 23R in cle our medium large transport had a tail strike. The captain chose to use flaps 15 degrees (which is not at present a standard takeoff flap setting for my co). His initial rotation at vr was too rapid, nose came up too quickly followed by a firmly felt (in flight deck) tail strike. The tail strike occurred at about 16 to 17 degrees nose up attitude. I asked the captain if he would like to return to the field for aircraft inspection and he declined. We continued flight to phl (scheduled stop) and mia (crew deplaning and going to scheduled rest). In phl captain telephoned maintenance department and with the assistance of company mechanics in phl performed a visibility inspection of the tail. It was noted the tail skid (our medium large transport's have a compressable skid) was compressed within about 2' of limits. There was no other sign of damage such as wrinkled or buckled skin. There was no internal inspection performed. The captain elected not to make a logbook entry which probably would have resulted in a more detailed inspection of aircraft tail section and could have resulted in some disciplinary action against himself. The captain was satisfied with the verbal ok of a company mechanic in phl and flight continued on to mia. There were 2 flight attendants in their assigned jumpseats at rear of aircraft during the tail strike. Both complained of mild back pain from tail strike and said in a remark to me the impact to them felt quite severe. In summation, captain used flaps 15 degree for takeoff. Captain rotated much too rapidly resulting in tail strike. It is my opinion captain used poor judgement in not making entry in aircraft logbook.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL STRIKE ON TKOF REPORTED BY FO PNF, ON AN ACR MLG.

Narrative: DURING THE CAPT'S TKOF FROM RWY 23R IN CLE OUR MLG HAD A TAIL STRIKE. THE CAPT CHOSE TO USE FLAPS 15 DEGS (WHICH IS NOT AT PRESENT A STANDARD TKOF FLAP SETTING FOR MY CO). HIS INITIAL ROTATION AT VR WAS TOO RAPID, NOSE CAME UP TOO QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY A FIRMLY FELT (IN FLT DECK) TAIL STRIKE. THE TAIL STRIKE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 16 TO 17 DEGS NOSE UP ATTITUDE. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO THE FIELD FOR ACFT INSPECTION AND HE DECLINED. WE CONTINUED FLT TO PHL (SCHEDULED STOP) AND MIA (CREW DEPLANING AND GOING TO SCHEDULED REST). IN PHL CAPT TELEPHONED MAINT DEPT AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF COMPANY MECHS IN PHL PERFORMED A VIS INSPECTION OF THE TAIL. IT WAS NOTED THE TAIL SKID (OUR MLG'S HAVE A COMPRESSABLE SKID) WAS COMPRESSED WITHIN ABOUT 2' OF LIMITS. THERE WAS NO OTHER SIGN OF DAMAGE SUCH AS WRINKLED OR BUCKLED SKIN. THERE WAS NO INTERNAL INSPECTION PERFORMED. THE CAPT ELECTED NOT TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY WHICH PROBABLY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MORE DETAILED INSPECTION OF ACFT TAIL SECTION AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SOME DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST HIMSELF. THE CAPT WAS SATISFIED WITH THE VERBAL OK OF A COMPANY MECH IN PHL AND FLT CONTINUED ON TO MIA. THERE WERE 2 FLT ATTENDANTS IN THEIR ASSIGNED JUMPSEATS AT REAR OF ACFT DURING THE TAIL STRIKE. BOTH COMPLAINED OF MILD BACK PAIN FROM TAIL STRIKE AND SAID IN A REMARK TO ME THE IMPACT TO THEM FELT QUITE SEVERE. IN SUMMATION, CAPT USED FLAPS 15 DEG FOR TKOF. CAPT ROTATED MUCH TOO RAPIDLY RESULTING IN TAIL STRIKE. IT IS MY OPINION CAPT USED POOR JUDGEMENT IN NOT MAKING ENTRY IN ACFT LOGBOOK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.