A B727 PIC experiences a tail strike when his aircraft loses 2-3 ft above the runway at dca, dc.

Attributes
ACN	513975
Time
Date	200106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 3
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	513975
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10800 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	513198
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : tailskid light other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Airport Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We were flying the mt vernon visual approach to runway 1 at dca. The aircraft was stabilized on approach at vref +10 KTS. The wind on final was reported at 320 degrees at 11 KTS, but had been reported earlier as variable from 280 degrees to 340 degrees with gusts to 16 KTS. We were following a B757 with 5 mi spacing. Crosswind corrections were being applied. Approximately 2-3 ft above the runway surface, the aircraft lost lift during a normal flare and touched down firmly. Rollout was normal and we cleared the runway at taxiway south and taxied to the gate. On rollout the flight engineer noted the tailskid light was illuminated and notified the captain after clearing the runway. Postflt inspection revealed damage to the tailskid and the VHF #2 antenna.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 PIC EXPERIENCES A TAIL STRIKE WHEN HIS ACFT LOSES 2-3 FT ABOVE THE RWY AT DCA, DC.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE MT VERNON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1 AT DCA. THE ACFT WAS STABILIZED ON APCH AT VREF +10 KTS. THE WIND ON FINAL WAS RPTED AT 320 DEGS AT 11 KTS, BUT HAD BEEN RPTED EARLIER AS VARIABLE FROM 280 DEGS TO 340 DEGS WITH GUSTS TO 16 KTS. WE WERE FOLLOWING A B757 WITH 5 MI SPACING. XWIND CORRECTIONS WERE BEING APPLIED. APPROX 2-3 FT ABOVE THE RWY SURFACE, THE ACFT LOST LIFT DURING A NORMAL FLARE AND TOUCHED DOWN FIRMLY. ROLLOUT WAS NORMAL AND WE CLRED THE RWY AT TXWY S AND TAXIED TO THE GATE. ON ROLLOUT THE FE NOTED THE TAILSKID LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND NOTIFIED THE CAPT AFTER CLRING THE RWY. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE TAILSKID AND THE VHF #2 ANTENNA.

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.