Accident Boeing 777-F6N B-2078,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 321127

Date:	Sunday 17 April 2011
Time:	15:00
Type:	Boeing 777-F6N
Owner/operator:	China Cargo Airlines
Registration:	B-2078
MSN:	37714/869
Year of manufacture:	2010
Engine model:	General Electric GE90-110B1L
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	København-Kastrup Airport (CPH) - Denmark
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Shanghai-Pudong International Airport (PVG/ZSPD)
Destination airport:	København-Kastrup Airport (CPH/EKCH)
Investigating agency:	HCLJ
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A Boeing 777-F6N cargo plane, operated by China Cargo Airlines, sustained substantial damage in a landing accident at Copenhangen, Denmark.
The flight from Shanghai, China, was uneventful and a normal final approach was established to Copenhagen Airport's runway 22L at 1000 feet AGL with the autopilot off and the auto throttle engaged. The airspeed was 152 knots and the vertical speed was 830 feet/min.
During the flare the pilot flying started to correct the rate of decent by increasing the pitch attitude. At touchdown the pitch attitude was 4.6°, the computed airspeed was 143 knots, the vertical speed was 160 feet/min.
The aircraft touched down and bounced three times. After the first bounce, the ground spoilers automatically retracted and the auto braking system disarmed. A second bounce occurred followed by a third bounce. After the third bounce, the speed brakes handle was pulled either by the pilot flying or by thrust reverser command, which deployed the ground spoilers and the thrust reversers.
The reversers were deployed in 11 seconds. During the deceleration, the pitch angle gradually increased to 10.5° and the aircraft suffered a tailstrike. At the same time the pilot flying felt an increasing pitch up attitude and decided to initiate a go-around.
An initiation of a GA after thrust reverser activation is very risky and not an option according to the Boeing 777 Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM) and the Boeing 777 Flight Crew Training Manual (FCTM).
After the ground spoilers were retracted and the reversers were stowed, the pitch angle was decreased to 7.0°. At that time, the indicated airspeed was 117 knots. Engine power was applied and as the airspeed increased. The increase of the forward engine thrust caused a further nose up pitch moment, resulting in an increasing pitch angle of 11.9°.
During lift off the indicated airspeed (IAS) was 140 knots, which was 8 knots below the V2 calculated speed. The lower speed gave less lift and kept the main landing gear compressed. The result was less aft tail belly clearance, leading the second tail strike. During initial climb, the flight crew noticed a beeper aural warning and the tailstrike caution on the upper Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) display. The flight crew performed a tail strike Malfunction Check List and a Go Around Check List. The pilot not flying informed ATC about the go around and the tailstrike indication and that the pilots didn't have control problems with the aircraft. A new approach was requested to runway 22L.The aircraft landed without further problems.

CONCLUSIONS:
After the third bounce and at touch down, the PF didnt prevent the pitch angle to increase. The lack of forward elevator control input caused the first tail strike.
During the GA, the aircraft was rotated to a pitch angle of 10.2° which caused the second tail strike.
The tail strike was prolonged as the pitch angle increased to 11.9° with a V2 speed minus 8 knots, which prolonged the time with a compressed main landing gear and less aft tail clearance.

Accident investigation: