DHC8-100 tail strike in gusty conditions at jhm.

Attributes
ACN	455821
Time
Date	199911
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jhm.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	455821
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 0
ASRS Report	455822
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Runway direction 020 degrees. Wind reported 070 degrees at 21 KTS gusting to 30 KTS. Normal approach, myself flying (been flying in this aircraft for 9 1/2 yrs with similar conditions). Upon flare for touchdown, a gust ballooned the aircraft, and since I was already slow I added power and settled down for a normal landing and taxied in. While parked, the first officer did the usual walkaround and reported to me that the tailskid was smashed in. Neither of us had any idea that we had touched the tailskid. Neither did the flight attendant. I called dispatch and they sent a mechanic to check for structural damage (none). The unicom operator did not see it happen, but did say it was gusting to 30 KTS at the time I was in the flare for touchdown. We honestly don't know when or how we struck, whether it was the initial ballooning or the subsequent flare and touchdown. Obviously we reached an 8 degree angle or better at some point and didn't recognize it or feel it while dealing with the wind. I will pay greater attention to angle at touchdown in the future and maybe striving for a flatter, power-off carrier type landing will prevent ballooning of the plane with gusty conditions, but I don't relish doing that to the gear or the passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC8-100 TAIL STRIKE IN GUSTY CONDITIONS AT JHM.

Narrative: RWY DIRECTION 020 DEGS. WIND RPTED 070 DEGS AT 21 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. NORMAL APCH, MYSELF FLYING (BEEN FLYING IN THIS ACFT FOR 9 1/2 YRS WITH SIMILAR CONDITIONS). UPON FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN, A GUST BALLOONED THE ACFT, AND SINCE I WAS ALREADY SLOW I ADDED PWR AND SETTLED DOWN FOR A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXIED IN. WHILE PARKED, THE FO DID THE USUAL WALKAROUND AND RPTED TO ME THAT THE TAILSKID WAS SMASHED IN. NEITHER OF US HAD ANY IDEA THAT WE HAD TOUCHED THE TAILSKID. NEITHER DID THE FLT ATTENDANT. I CALLED DISPATCH AND THEY SENT A MECH TO CHK FOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE (NONE). THE UNICOM OPERATOR DID NOT SEE IT HAPPEN, BUT DID SAY IT WAS GUSTING TO 30 KTS AT THE TIME I WAS IN THE FLARE FOR TOUCHDOWN. WE HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHEN OR HOW WE STRUCK, WHETHER IT WAS THE INITIAL BALLOONING OR THE SUBSEQUENT FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN. OBVIOUSLY WE REACHED AN 8 DEG ANGLE OR BETTER AT SOME POINT AND DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT OR FEEL IT WHILE DEALING WITH THE WIND. I WILL PAY GREATER ATTN TO ANGLE AT TOUCHDOWN IN THE FUTURE AND MAYBE STRIVING FOR A FLATTER, PWR-OFF CARRIER TYPE LNDG WILL PREVENT BALLOONING OF THE PLANE WITH GUSTY CONDITIONS, BUT I DON'T RELISH DOING THAT TO THE GEAR OR THE PAX.

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.