Large transport has possible tail strike on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	247557
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
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	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 22480 flight time type : 2350
ASRS Report	247557
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On takeoff from den the rotation was normal, but as I approached 10 degrees nose up, the aircraft wanted to settle back in. The wheels were just leaving the ground. I nosed up another 2 degrees and the aircraft came on off and began to climb normally. Wind shear advisories were in effect. En route the flight attendants who were riding in the aft cabin, reported that they thought they heard and felt a tail-skid strike on takeoff. Tail-skid retraction after takeoff was normal. After landing in lax we made an inspection and found no tail-skid damage. Since tail-skid strikes can occur between 10 degrees to 12 degrees nose up, particularly since we were using flaps 5 degrees, it was possible that we just grazed the tail-skid buffer-pad and that produced the noise that was heard by the flight attendants.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT HAS POSSIBLE TAIL STRIKE ON TKOF.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM DEN THE ROTATION WAS NORMAL, BUT AS I APCHED 10 DEGS NOSE UP, THE ACFT WANTED TO SETTLE BACK IN. THE WHEELS WERE JUST LEAVING THE GND. I NOSED UP ANOTHER 2 DEGS AND THE ACFT CAME ON OFF AND BEGAN TO CLB NORMALLY. WIND SHEAR ADVISORIES WERE IN EFFECT. ENRTE THE FLT ATTENDANTS WHO WERE RIDING IN THE AFT CABIN, RPTED THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY HEARD AND FELT A TAIL-SKID STRIKE ON TKOF. TAIL-SKID RETRACTION AFTER TKOF WAS NORMAL. AFTER LNDG IN LAX WE MADE AN INSPECTION AND FOUND NO TAIL-SKID DAMAGE. SINCE TAIL-SKID STRIKES CAN OCCUR BTWN 10 DEGS TO 12 DEGS NOSE UP, PARTICULARLY SINCE WE WERE USING FLAPS 5 DEGS, IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT WE JUST GRAZED THE TAIL-SKID BUFFER-PAD AND THAT PRODUCED THE NOISE THAT WAS HEARD BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS.

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.