Tail strike and hard landing.

Attributes
ACN	303269
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 20
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	303269
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	303268
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon landing from a stabilized approach at 20 ft AGL, elevator lost effectiveness leading to a hard landing with a bounce. This elevator control problem had been reported by many line pilots, some written, some not on this particular DC9. Also the winds given at ewr were off direction and speed as stated on clearance frequency 1 hour later. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the dc 9-51 for a second level air carrier. The reporter got a tail strike on this hard landing which required the aircraft be reworked. At the reporter's insistence, the aircraft was weighed. When the aircraft came back in operation, the empty weight center of gravity was moved 5 inches forward, the empty weight was 1000 pounds heavier, and a fixed tab had been changed by 2 degrees. There was an investigation by the FAA and the reporter was given a 'warning letter' and a '609 ride' by a designated examiner. The reporter admits that he did not get along at all well with the FAA investigator. The reporting first officer is rather short and has to situation close to the yoke. An air carrier check airman later found that the first officer's seat cushion was loose and that it could interfere with the yoke when the seat was well forward.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL STRIKE AND HARD LNDG.

Narrative: UPON LNDG FROM A STABILIZED APCH AT 20 FT AGL, ELEVATOR LOST EFFECTIVENESS LEADING TO A HARD LNDG WITH A BOUNCE. THIS ELEVATOR CTL PROB HAD BEEN RPTED BY MANY LINE PLTS, SOME WRITTEN, SOME NOT ON THIS PARTICULAR DC9. ALSO THE WINDS GIVEN AT EWR WERE OFF DIRECTION AND SPD AS STATED ON CLRNC FREQ 1 HR LATER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE DC 9-51 FOR A SECOND LEVEL ACR. THE RPTR GOT A TAIL STRIKE ON THIS HARD LNDG WHICH REQUIRED THE ACFT BE REWORKED. AT THE RPTR'S INSISTENCE, THE ACFT WAS WEIGHED. WHEN THE ACFT CAME BACK IN OP, THE EMPTY WT CTR OF GRAVITY WAS MOVED 5 INCHES FORWARD, THE EMPTY WT WAS 1000 LBS HEAVIER, AND A FIXED TAB HAD BEEN CHANGED BY 2 DEGS. THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA AND THE RPTR WAS GIVEN A 'WARNING LETTER' AND A '609 RIDE' BY A DESIGNATED EXAMINER. THE RPTR ADMITS THAT HE DID NOT GET ALONG AT ALL WELL WITH THE FAA INVESTIGATOR. THE RPTING FO IS RATHER SHORT AND HAS TO SIT CLOSE TO THE YOKE. AN ACR CHK AIRMAN LATER FOUND THAT THE FO'S SEAT CUSHION WAS LOOSE AND THAT IT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE YOKE WHEN THE SEAT WAS WELL FORWARD.

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.