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Accident: LATAM Brasil B773 at Milan on Jul 9th 2024, tail strike on departure
By Simon Hradecky, created Tuesday, Jul 9th 2024 15:41Z, last updated Saturday, Aug 24th 2024 17:16Z
A LATAM Brasil Boeing 777-300, registration PT-MUG performing flight LA-8073 from Milan Malpensa (Italy) to Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil) with 398 people on board, departed Malpensa's runway 35L but struck its tail onto the runway surface during rotation. The aircraft climbed out to safety, stopped the climb at 5000 feet and entered a hold, later at 6000 feet while dumping fuel. The aircraft returned to Milan for a safe landing on runway 35R about 75 minutes after departure.
Italy's ANSV reported:
After having collected the first evidence useful for the correct classification of the event, ANSV has started a safety investigation into the serious incident that, on Tuesday 9 July, at Milan Malpensa airport, involved the B777 registration PT-MUG; the aircraft, during the take-off run for runway 35L, bound for San Paolo, scraped its tail on the asphalt and, after about an hour, returned to Malpensa without further consequences.
While the assessment of the damage actually suffered by the aircraft continues, ANSV has communicated the opening of the investigation to the corresponding investigative authorities of Brazil and the USA, respectively the country of operation and construction of the aircraft, which, pursuant to international regulations (ICAO Annex 13), have the right to accredit their own representative in the investigation.
On Aug 23rd 2024 the ANSV released their preliminary report summarizing the sequence of events:
During the takeoff from RWY35L, the aircraft suffered a tail strike after the rotation. The crew requested to enter a hold near MXP to carry out the NNC procedures and returned to land in MXP. Damages to the tail skid and two other points of contact were identified. On the ground 720 meters of runway scraping were identified.
The ANSV detailed the sequence:
The flight crew consisted of the instructor captain sitting in the right seat and PF (pilot flying) for the leg, the captain-in-training as PM (pilot monitoring) in the left seat and the relief captain sitting on the jump seat.
The FDR data shows the following parameters entered in the TAKEOFF REF page
of the FMS (flight management system):
- Flaps 5°
- Thrust 56°
- V1 [decision speed]145 kt
- VR [rotation speed]149 kt
- V2 156 kt The METAR at Malpensa in the window of interest (1120Z) reported VRB01KT 9999 FEW040 30/19 Q1018 NOSIG.
Take-off took place for RWY35L using the entire available runway (TORA [take off runway available] 3914 m, TODA [take off distance available] 3974 m, ASDA [accelerate stop distance available] 3914 m).
Always referring to FDR data: GW [gross weight] 328.2 tons, 109100 kg fuel on board;
11.25'59" the aircraft began its take-off run;
11:26'37" pitch up command was recorded with the start of the rotation at 153 kt;
11:26'42" IAS=166 Kt, Pitch=8.2° Tail Strike Indicator 1 and 2 signals were activated.
At 11.26'49" the aircraft took off at an indicated speed of 180 kt.
At 11.26'52" the CVR recorded the audible tail strike warning.
At 11.27'10" the control tower warned the crew that a tail strike during the
take-off run was observed.
On RWY35L, a footprint was found on the ground (furrow with varying depths of up to 6 cm) of 723 linear meters originating between the DM and DE intersections 2 meters left of the centerline and ending at a point just before the EM intersection 8.5 meters to the left of the centerline.
At 11.28'44" the crew, once airborne, requested to proceed to INLER point (IAF for RWY35 approach procedures) to perform a holding at 6000 ft.
At 11.32'32" the crew declared PAN, PAN, PAN.
At 11.40'05", the crew reported the need for fuel dumping.
Traffic control asked the crew if they could maintain an area further to the west th an the originally required one (i.e. the IAF INLER), in a holding with a track of 090°/270°.
At 11.44'29", the air traffic control advised the crew that parts detached from the aircraft had been found during the runway inspection.
The crew carried out the fuel dumping procedure which took place from 11.51'05" (valve opening) at position 45°19' N, 8°09' E with total indicated fuel of 103700 kg to 12.23'17" (valve closing) at position 45°20' N 8°07' E with indicated fuel of 31600 kg.
The total Jet A-1 fuel dumped in approximately 32 minutes therefore amounted to 72,000 kg. The fuel dumping took place at an altitude of 6000 ft, at the indicated speed of 190 kt (corresponding to approximately 240 kt ground speed) and was carried out in seven holding pattern (see enclosed map) in the area between the following coordinates:
- 45°23'N 08°06'E
- 45°23'N 08°16'E
- 45°20'N 08°18'E
- 45°18'N 08°16'E
- 45°18'N 08°07'E
- 45°20'N 08°05'E
After the fuel dumping, the aircraft performed an ILS 'Z' approach to land for RWY 35R at Malpensa, landing at 12.36' at a GW of 249.2 tons.
As a result of the occurrence, the aircraft suffered damage to the tail skid, a drain mast and the tail strike sensor.
The performance calculation carried out with OTP [on board performance tool] by the operator after the event, considering the TOW to be 328425 kg, RWY35L, 30° OAT [outside ambient temperature] returned the following parameters:
- Flaps 5°.
- Thrust 38°.
- V1 173 kt.
- VR 181 kt.
- V2 186 kt.
