Fly-by-wire air carrier large transport suffers tail strike at lift-off.

Attributes
ACN	174260
Time
Date	199103
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, 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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	174260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I began takeoff roll at msp on runway 29L. Takeoff weight was 153371#, and at that weight our V2, vr, V2 #south were 151, 151, 151. These #south had been inserted into the first officer's FMGC. On taxi-out the #south were checked to make sure they were correct and that they were shown correctly on the captain's display. During takeoff roll at 80 KTS, both airspeed indicators were checked for agreement. I concentrated on outside references while the captain continued to check inside as per SOP. At 151 KTS the captain called, 'rotate 16 degrees.' I rotated at the normal rate of rotation, however the aircraft did not seem to want to fly off the ground. I checked the flap position, and at that instant the captain sensed our lack of performance and advanced the power levers to the maximum (toga) position). I quickly checked all engine parameters and we were developing power normally. I felt a bump as we lifted off and there didn't seem to be anything else from that point on that was abnormal. The tower advised us that they had seen sparks coming from the tail on takeoff and we assumed we had struck the tail on rotation. After consultation with company dispatch and maintenance control, we returned back to msp, declared an emergency and made an overweight landing on runway 29L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLY-BY-WIRE ACR LGT SUFFERS TAIL STRIKE AT LIFT-OFF.

Narrative: I BEGAN TKOF ROLL AT MSP ON RWY 29L. TKOF WT WAS 153371#, AND AT THAT WT OUR V2, VR, V2 #S WERE 151, 151, 151. THESE #S HAD BEEN INSERTED INTO THE F/O'S FMGC. ON TAXI-OUT THE #S WERE CHKED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE CORRECT AND THAT THEY WERE SHOWN CORRECTLY ON THE CAPT'S DISPLAY. DURING TKOF ROLL AT 80 KTS, BOTH AIRSPD INDICATORS WERE CHKED FOR AGREEMENT. I CONCENTRATED ON OUTSIDE REFS WHILE THE CAPT CONTINUED TO CHK INSIDE AS PER SOP. AT 151 KTS THE CAPT CALLED, 'ROTATE 16 DEGS.' I ROTATED AT THE NORMAL RATE OF ROTATION, HOWEVER THE ACFT DID NOT SEEM TO WANT TO FLY OFF THE GND. I CHKED THE FLAP POS, AND AT THAT INSTANT THE CAPT SENSED OUR LACK OF PERFORMANCE AND ADVANCED THE PWR LEVERS TO THE MAX (TOGA) POS). I QUICKLY CHKED ALL ENG PARAMETERS AND WE WERE DEVELOPING PWR NORMALLY. I FELT A BUMP AS WE LIFTED OFF AND THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANYTHING ELSE FROM THAT POINT ON THAT WAS ABNORMAL. THE TWR ADVISED US THAT THEY HAD SEEN SPARKS COMING FROM THE TAIL ON TKOF AND WE ASSUMED WE HAD STRUCK THE TAIL ON ROTATION. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH COMPANY DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL, WE RETURNED BACK TO MSP, DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE AN OVERWT LNDG ON RWY 29L.

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.