Captain of a DC9-50 struck the tailskid during landing due to flaring too quickly resulting in an ex...

Attributes
ACN	424504
Time
Date	199812
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : grb
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 510
ASRS Report	424504
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6900
ASRS Report	424490
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On final approach at 1000 ft we were fully configured and on speed (bug speed of 137 KTS). Below approximately 500 ft the captain got 5 KTS slow, so I made a call to that effect. He acknowledged. He sped up about 2-3 KTS. At roughly 100 ft, I again called out that he was slowing down, which he acknowledged. As we approached the flare, although 5 KTS slow and slightly nose high, it looked safe. In the flare he rotated back quickly and we had an immediate tail strike. It 'felt' funny, but we didn't realize it had been a tail strike as it wasn't a 'hard' landing. 2 deadhead airmen mid coach also didn't know. However, 2 flight attendants in the rear told me they suspected we had had one. On my walkaround, I discovered we had indeed struck the tail. I believe 3 things led to it: 1) the -50 tail strikes at a lower pitch attitude than other DC9's. 2) we were a little slow. 3) the abrupt flare and excessive back trim left no room for error. I didn't call for a go around as the approach didn't appear out of the safety margin until the last moment. It was the first time and the first leg I'd ever flown with this particular captain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A DC9-50 STRUCK THE TAILSKID DURING LNDG DUE TO FLARING TOO QUICKLY RESULTING IN AN EXCESSIVE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE DURING TOUCHDOWN.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH AT 1000 FT WE WERE FULLY CONFIGURED AND ON SPD (BUG SPD OF 137 KTS). BELOW APPROX 500 FT THE CAPT GOT 5 KTS SLOW, SO I MADE A CALL TO THAT EFFECT. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. HE SPED UP ABOUT 2-3 KTS. AT ROUGHLY 100 FT, I AGAIN CALLED OUT THAT HE WAS SLOWING DOWN, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. AS WE APCHED THE FLARE, ALTHOUGH 5 KTS SLOW AND SLIGHTLY NOSE HIGH, IT LOOKED SAFE. IN THE FLARE HE ROTATED BACK QUICKLY AND WE HAD AN IMMEDIATE TAIL STRIKE. IT 'FELT' FUNNY, BUT WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT HAD BEEN A TAIL STRIKE AS IT WASN'T A 'HARD' LNDG. 2 DEADHEAD AIRMEN MID COACH ALSO DIDN'T KNOW. HOWEVER, 2 FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE REAR TOLD ME THEY SUSPECTED WE HAD HAD ONE. ON MY WALKAROUND, I DISCOVERED WE HAD INDEED STRUCK THE TAIL. I BELIEVE 3 THINGS LED TO IT: 1) THE -50 TAIL STRIKES AT A LOWER PITCH ATTITUDE THAN OTHER DC9'S. 2) WE WERE A LITTLE SLOW. 3) THE ABRUPT FLARE AND EXCESSIVE BACK TRIM LEFT NO ROOM FOR ERROR. I DIDN'T CALL FOR A GAR AS THE APCH DIDN'T APPEAR OUT OF THE SAFETY MARGIN UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME AND THE FIRST LEG I'D EVER FLOWN WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAPT.

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.

Captain of a DC9-50 struck the tailskid during landing due to flaring too quickly resulting in an excessive nose high attitude during touchdown.