Flight crew of widebody transport had tail strike on rotation and takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	173862
Time
Date	199103
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 135 flight time total : 14510
ASRS Report	173862
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

First officer made takeoff from runway 29L at msp. Aircraft was a widebody transport. Weight at time of takeoff was 153371 pounds. We used a reduced thrust takeoff power which was legal up to a gross weight of 155000 pounds for runway 29L. The rotation was initiated at 151 KTS to a charted pitch angle or 16 degree. Both engines were developing normal power. Just prior to lift off I felt a vibration in the aircraft similar to a tire out of balance. At that time I (the captain) applied full takeoff power. The vibration lasted about 1-2 seconds and the aircraft lifted off normally. Shortly thereafter, the msp control tower informed us that they had observed sparks coming from the tail of the aircraft and it appeared as if we had had a tail strike. We declared an emergency and returned to the airport. The aircraft was inspected and we did strike the tail. Possible factors contributing to the situation was a wind blowing from 300 degree at 15 gusting to 21 KTS and/or possibly a weight and balance problem. At this time, I am unsure as to the cause of the tail strike so any suggestions as to how to prevent a recurrence would be premature.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF WDB HAD TAIL STRIKE ON ROTATION AND TKOF.

Narrative: F/O MADE TKOF FROM RWY 29L AT MSP. ACFT WAS A WDB. WEIGHT AT TIME OF TKOF WAS 153371 LBS. WE USED A REDUCED THRUST TKOF PWR WHICH WAS LEGAL UP TO A GROSS WEIGHT OF 155000 LBS FOR RWY 29L. THE ROTATION WAS INITIATED AT 151 KTS TO A CHARTED PITCH ANGLE OR 16 DEG. BOTH ENGS WERE DEVELOPING NORMAL PWR. JUST PRIOR TO LIFT OFF I FELT A VIBRATION IN THE ACFT SIMILAR TO A TIRE OUT OF BALANCE. AT THAT TIME I (THE CAPT) APPLIED FULL TKOF PWR. THE VIBRATION LASTED ABOUT 1-2 SECS AND THE ACFT LIFTED OFF NORMALLY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE MSP CTL TWR INFORMED US THAT THEY HAD OBSERVED SPARKS COMING FROM THE TAIL OF THE ACFT AND IT APPEARED AS IF WE HAD HAD A TAIL STRIKE. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED AND WE DID STRIKE THE TAIL. POSSIBLE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SITUATION WAS A WIND BLOWING FROM 300 DEG AT 15 GUSTING TO 21 KTS AND/OR POSSIBLY A WEIGHT AND BALANCE PROB. AT THIS TIME, I AM UNSURE AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE TAIL STRIKE SO ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE WOULD BE PREMATURE.

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.