Narrative:

Descent and approach were normal. At approximately 200 ft or 1/2 mi from threshold, the airspeed slowed from command bug to vref 30 (134 KTS). Captain called 'speed on the bug.' PF increased to power and stabilized speed at vref plus 30. At approach 10-15 ft, first officer 'flared' the aircraft while reducing power. Landing was 'held off' while pitch increased. The tail skid light illuminated and tail skid message appeared on the EICAS. Flight attendant in rear reported a loud noise in floor of aircraft on landing. Taxi-in was normal, after passenger deplaned, I exited aircraft to inspect rear of airplane. 10 ft section of fuselage prior to the tailskid was scraped. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter flies the B767-300ER for a major united states air carrier with international rtes. He was the relief first officer on this trip, sitting in the jump seat on landing. There was internal framing and stiffener damage as well as external skin damage. The aircraft was down about 2 weeks after this incident. The 2 PF's were awarded an FAA observed simulator check ride and the reporter was reminded that he should have spoken up sooner and louder. The 'vref 30' that the reporter refers to is the vref for 30 degree flaps. Most pilots fly this speed plus five to 10 KTS on approach. Apparently other acrs have this same tail scraping problem, as another air carrier paints the tail skid area red to better show any scraping.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL STRIKE.

Narrative: DSCNT AND APCH WERE NORMAL. AT APPROX 200 FT OR 1/2 MI FROM THRESHOLD, THE AIRSPD SLOWED FROM COMMAND BUG TO VREF 30 (134 KTS). CAPT CALLED 'SPD ON THE BUG.' PF INCREASED TO PWR AND STABILIZED SPD AT VREF PLUS 30. AT APCH 10-15 FT, FO 'FLARED' THE ACFT WHILE REDUCING PWR. LNDG WAS 'HELD OFF' WHILE PITCH INCREASED. THE TAIL SKID LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND TAIL SKID MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE EICAS. FLT ATTENDANT IN REAR RPTED A LOUD NOISE IN FLOOR OF ACFT ON LNDG. TAXI-IN WAS NORMAL, AFTER PAX DEPLANED, I EXITED ACFT TO INSPECT REAR OF AIRPLANE. 10 FT SECTION OF FUSELAGE PRIOR TO THE TAILSKID WAS SCRAPED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR FLIES THE B767-300ER FOR A MAJOR UNITED STATES ACR WITH INTL RTES. HE WAS THE RELIEF FO ON THIS TRIP, SITTING IN THE JUMP SEAT ON LNDG. THERE WAS INTERNAL FRAMING AND STIFFENER DAMAGE AS WELL AS EXTERNAL SKIN DAMAGE. THE ACFT WAS DOWN ABOUT 2 WKS AFTER THIS INCIDENT. THE 2 PF'S WERE AWARDED AN FAA OBSERVED SIMULATOR CHK RIDE AND THE RPTR WAS REMINDED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP SOONER AND LOUDER. THE 'VREF 30' THAT THE RPTR REFERS TO IS THE VREF FOR 30 DEG FLAPS. MOST PLTS FLY THIS SPD PLUS FIVE TO 10 KTS ON APCH. APPARENTLY OTHER ACRS HAVE THIS SAME TAIL SCRAPING PROB, AS ANOTHER ACR PAINTS THE TAIL SKID AREA RED TO BETTER SHOW ANY SCRAPING.

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.