Large transport struck tailskid during takeoff at ewr.

Attributes
ACN	96236
Time
Date	198810
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2780
ASRS Report	96236
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

The runway in use was 22L. Takeoff roll was initiated at intersection 'M'. WX was clear, 58 degree F, wind 270/9 KTS. Aircraft weight was 169,000 pounds and full takeoff power was utilized. Takeoff roll was normal, except for 3 or 4 bumps (increasing in severity with speed) caused by the roughness of the runway. At each bump the nose of the aircraft came up and forward pressure was necessary to maintain it on the runway. At, or just after, rotation, with a speed of 137 KTS (V1 R1), we experienced the last bump which was fairly sharp. Rotation was normal as was the climb out. The tailskid of the aircraft contacted the ground on rotation. The tailskid cylinder was fractured but the honeycomb cylinder was not compressed. It is my belief that the contacting of the runway was not caused by an over-rotation but by the sharp jolt experienced at the critical V1 R1 point. Runway 22L-4R at newark airport is well known for its rough condition and I believe that this condition was the significant factor in this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT STRUCK TAILSKID DURING TKOF AT EWR.

Narrative: THE RWY IN USE WAS 22L. TKOF ROLL WAS INITIATED AT INTXN 'M'. WX WAS CLR, 58 DEG F, WIND 270/9 KTS. ACFT WEIGHT WAS 169,000 POUNDS AND FULL TKOF PWR WAS UTILIZED. TKOF ROLL WAS NORMAL, EXCEPT FOR 3 OR 4 BUMPS (INCREASING IN SEVERITY WITH SPD) CAUSED BY THE ROUGHNESS OF THE RWY. AT EACH BUMP THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CAME UP AND FORWARD PRESSURE WAS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN IT ON THE RWY. AT, OR JUST AFTER, ROTATION, WITH A SPD OF 137 KTS (V1 R1), WE EXPERIENCED THE LAST BUMP WHICH WAS FAIRLY SHARP. ROTATION WAS NORMAL AS WAS THE CLB OUT. THE TAILSKID OF THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GND ON ROTATION. THE TAILSKID CYLINDER WAS FRACTURED BUT THE HONEYCOMB CYLINDER WAS NOT COMPRESSED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE CONTACTING OF THE RWY WAS NOT CAUSED BY AN OVER-ROTATION BUT BY THE SHARP JOLT EXPERIENCED AT THE CRITICAL V1 R1 POINT. RWY 22L-4R AT NEWARK ARPT IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS ROUGH CONDITION AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS CONDITION WAS THE SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.