Narrative:

During takeoff from cvg runway 27, the tailskid on my aircraft may have contacted the runway surface. This may have been caused by the design of the runway surface in the intersection (crown). There may have been some involvement of the wake vortex generated by the MD88 which had just departed runway 18. The wake vortex of the departing aircraft may have input a negative vertical velocity to my aircraft just as we were lifting off, causing the tailskid to contact the runway. The landing in slc was very smooth. I had no cockpit indications at any time during the flight that the tailskid had contacted the runway. The flight attendants made no comments regarding noises. Fdr is being analyzed. Supplemental information from ACN471041: takeoff was initiated on runway 27 cvg. Takeoff weight was 154000 pounds. Flaps were selected to 15 degrees and proper speed bugs set and complied with. All pertinent checklists were accomplished. Acceleration was normal and rotation was initiated just prior to runway 18R intersection, with liftoff shortly thereafter. Rotation rate was 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 degrees per second and a normal pitch altitude was established (9-10 degrees). No abnormalities were noted, ie, bump, vibration, flight attendant call, etc. Climb out was uneventful and so was the remainder of flight. Upon arrival, next crew reported damage to tailskid. Aircraft was taken OTS, repaired, and returned to service later that day. We are at a loss to explain what caused this, and we have doubts as to whether or not we are responsible for it. We believe damage may have been done after our arrival at the gate in slc. Fdr data supports rotation rate and pitch attitude information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UPON COMPLETION OF FLT, TAILSKID DAMAGE FOUND ON B727 AFTER NORMAL FLT AND TKOF.

Narrative: DURING TKOF FROM CVG RWY 27, THE TAILSKID ON MY ACFT MAY HAVE CONTACTED THE RWY SURFACE. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE DESIGN OF THE RWY SURFACE IN THE INTXN (CROWN). THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME INVOLVEMENT OF THE WAKE VORTEX GENERATED BY THE MD88 WHICH HAD JUST DEPARTED RWY 18. THE WAKE VORTEX OF THE DEPARTING ACFT MAY HAVE INPUT A NEGATIVE VERT VELOCITY TO MY ACFT JUST AS WE WERE LIFTING OFF, CAUSING THE TAILSKID TO CONTACT THE RWY. THE LNDG IN SLC WAS VERY SMOOTH. I HAD NO COCKPIT INDICATIONS AT ANY TIME DURING THE FLT THAT THE TAILSKID HAD CONTACTED THE RWY. THE FLT ATTENDANTS MADE NO COMMENTS REGARDING NOISES. FDR IS BEING ANALYZED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN471041: TKOF WAS INITIATED ON RWY 27 CVG. TKOF WT WAS 154000 LBS. FLAPS WERE SELECTED TO 15 DEGS AND PROPER SPD BUGS SET AND COMPLIED WITH. ALL PERTINENT CHKLISTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED. ACCELERATION WAS NORMAL AND ROTATION WAS INITIATED JUST PRIOR TO RWY 18R INTXN, WITH LIFTOFF SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ROTATION RATE WAS 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 DEGS PER SECOND AND A NORMAL PITCH ALT WAS ESTABLISHED (9-10 DEGS). NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED, IE, BUMP, VIBRATION, FLT ATTENDANT CALL, ETC. CLBOUT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND SO WAS THE REMAINDER OF FLT. UPON ARR, NEXT CREW RPTED DAMAGE TO TAILSKID. ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS, REPAIRED, AND RETURNED TO SVC LATER THAT DAY. WE ARE AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN WHAT CAUSED THIS, AND WE HAVE DOUBTS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. WE BELIEVE DAMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN DONE AFTER OUR ARR AT THE GATE IN SLC. FDR DATA SUPPORTS ROTATION RATE AND PITCH ATTITUDE INFO.

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.