Air carrier large transport minor tail strike on landing at iah.

Attributes
ACN	151930
Time
Date	199007
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
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 : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	151930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Tailskid was struck on landing at iah runway 8. Approach was on G/D and localizer and appeared normal except for the aircraft attitude changing at about 150-250' AGL. The tail seemed to lift at this point a slight amount. This is the same sensation that occurs if the aircraft is floated down the runway in ground effect. I adjusted the pitch and continued the approach. The landing was firm, but not abnormal. Automatic spoilers deployed at T/D. Thrust reversers and brakes were used in the rollout. During taxi in it was noted by the F/east that the tail skid annunciator was illuminated indicating a disagreement between the tailskid position and the landing gear handle. A visibility inspection indicated that the tailskid cylinder was partially compressed. The tab indicating a tailskid strike was not broken off as the cylinder was not compressed enough. The aircraft attitude throughout the landing did not seem unusual and the crew was surprised to see the tailskid had been struck. I feel the cause was the firm landing combined with the automatic spoilers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT MINOR TAIL STRIKE ON LNDG AT IAH.

Narrative: TAILSKID WAS STRUCK ON LNDG AT IAH RWY 8. APCH WAS ON G/D AND LOC AND APPEARED NORMAL EXCEPT FOR THE ACFT ATTITUDE CHANGING AT ABOUT 150-250' AGL. THE TAIL SEEMED TO LIFT AT THIS POINT A SLIGHT AMOUNT. THIS IS THE SAME SENSATION THAT OCCURS IF THE ACFT IS FLOATED DOWN THE RWY IN GND EFFECT. I ADJUSTED THE PITCH AND CONTINUED THE APCH. THE LNDG WAS FIRM, BUT NOT ABNORMAL. AUTO SPOILERS DEPLOYED AT T/D. THRUST REVERSERS AND BRAKES WERE USED IN THE ROLLOUT. DURING TAXI IN IT WAS NOTED BY THE F/E THAT THE TAIL SKID ANNUNCIATOR WAS ILLUMINATED INDICATING A DISAGREEMENT BTWN THE TAILSKID POS AND THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE. A VIS INSPECTION INDICATED THAT THE TAILSKID CYLINDER WAS PARTIALLY COMPRESSED. THE TAB INDICATING A TAILSKID STRIKE WAS NOT BROKEN OFF AS THE CYLINDER WAS NOT COMPRESSED ENOUGH. THE ACFT ATTITUDE THROUGHOUT THE LNDG DID NOT SEEM UNUSUAL AND THE CREW WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE TAILSKID HAD BEEN STRUCK. I FEEL THE CAUSE WAS THE FIRM LNDG COMBINED WITH THE AUTO SPOILERS.

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.