Tail strike of a B727-200 during takeoff caused minor damage to the tailskid.

Attributes
ACN	428989
Time
Date	199902
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0 msl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 6400
ASRS Report	428989
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	429076
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe ground encounters other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : cab
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Our 2 flight attendants sitting in the rear of the aircraft heard what they thought was a tailskid strike on takeoff out of reno, nv, at XX27 local on feb/xa/99. The 3 cockpit crew members observed no unusual indications to suspect that a tailskid strike had occurred. Wind at the time was 240 degrees at 16 KTS gusting to 21 KTS. A new ATIS was copied immediately before taking the runway and the takeoff was thoroughly briefed. Contributing factors include high gross weight, high density altitude, and high xwinds. The actual compression on the tailskid was approximately 1/2 inch. No structural damage was done to the aircraft or the tailskid. It looked like it just barely made contact with the r-hand bottom half of the skid. At rotation, full right aileron was necessary but I thought the takeoff was perfect under the conditions previously pointed out. Maintenance released the aircraft after inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL STRIKE OF A B727-200 DURING TKOF CAUSED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE TAILSKID.

Narrative: OUR 2 FLT ATTENDANTS SITTING IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT HEARD WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A TAILSKID STRIKE ON TKOF OUT OF RENO, NV, AT XX27 LCL ON FEB/XA/99. THE 3 COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS OBSERVED NO UNUSUAL INDICATIONS TO SUSPECT THAT A TAILSKID STRIKE HAD OCCURRED. WIND AT THE TIME WAS 240 DEGS AT 16 KTS GUSTING TO 21 KTS. A NEW ATIS WAS COPIED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE TAKING THE RWY AND THE TKOF WAS THOROUGHLY BRIEFED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE HIGH GROSS WT, HIGH DENSITY ALT, AND HIGH XWINDS. THE ACTUAL COMPRESSION ON THE TAILSKID WAS APPROX 1/2 INCH. NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ACFT OR THE TAILSKID. IT LOOKED LIKE IT JUST BARELY MADE CONTACT WITH THE R-HAND BOTTOM HALF OF THE SKID. AT ROTATION, FULL R AILERON WAS NECESSARY BUT I THOUGHT THE TKOF WAS PERFECT UNDER THE CONDITIONS PREVIOUSLY POINTED OUT. MAINT RELEASED THE ACFT AFTER INSPECTION.

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.