Narrative:

I recently checked out as captain on the heavy transport. I am still in my first 100 hours. Usually, I would do all the takeoffs in that period, but on the night in question, I decided that it would be best to let the first officer do the departure. The factors: heavy airplane (310000 pounds), night, obstacles on takeoff end of runway, minimal runway for weight. I felt it would be better for me to delegate the flying duties to the first officer (who has approximately 3000 hours in type) while I supervised, overlooked performance, and coordinated. Takeoff roll was uneventful and a normal 8 degree rotation made. I called 'V2,' and all 3 crew members felt the plane leave the ground. The first officer did the secondary rotation to 12 degree, and we felt the tail skid strike the runway. No serious damage was caused, but I still do not understand why the tail struck. One factor: this particular aircraft doesn't have an 18 degree flap detent - - our normal takeoff setting. 23 degrees must be used. This results in a slower than usual takeoff and sluggish elevator control, plus reduced initial climb due to higher flap setting (more drag). Perhaps this led to some over control and an excessive rate of rotation to 12 degrees, before the plane had a chance to really begin its climb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO MAKING TKOF WITH CAPT IN IOE EXPERIENCE IN HVT ACFT STRUCK TAIL ON TKOF.

Narrative: I RECENTLY CHKED OUT AS CAPT ON THE HVT. I AM STILL IN MY FIRST 100 HRS. USUALLY, I WOULD DO ALL THE TKOFS IN THAT PERIOD, BUT ON THE NIGHT IN QUESTION, I DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO LET THE FO DO THE DEP. THE FACTORS: HVY AIRPLANE (310000 POUNDS), NIGHT, OBSTACLES ON TKOF END OF RWY, MINIMAL RWY FOR WT. I FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR ME TO DELEGATE THE FLYING DUTIES TO THE FO (WHO HAS APPROX 3000 HRS IN TYPE) WHILE I SUPERVISED, OVERLOOKED PERFORMANCE, AND COORDINATED. TKOF ROLL WAS UNEVENTFUL AND A NORMAL 8 DEG ROTATION MADE. I CALLED 'V2,' AND ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS FELT THE PLANE LEAVE THE GND. THE FO DID THE SECONDARY ROTATION TO 12 DEG, AND WE FELT THE TAIL SKID STRIKE THE RWY. NO SERIOUS DAMAGE WAS CAUSED, BUT I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE TAIL STRUCK. ONE FACTOR: THIS PARTICULAR ACFT DOESN'T HAVE AN 18 DEG FLAP DETENT - - OUR NORMAL TKOF SETTING. 23 DEGS MUST BE USED. THIS RESULTS IN A SLOWER THAN USUAL TKOF AND SLUGGISH ELEVATOR CTL, PLUS REDUCED INITIAL CLB DUE TO HIGHER FLAP SETTING (MORE DRAG). PERHAPS THIS LED TO SOME OVER CTL AND AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF ROTATION TO 12 DEGS, BEFORE THE PLANE HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY BEGIN ITS CLB.

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.