Date:	Saturday 1 February 2020
Time:	02:36
Type:	Boeing 747-412F (SCD)
Owner/operator:	ACT Airlines
Registration:	TC-MCT
MSN:	26559/1285
Year of manufacture:	2001
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney PW4056
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, repaired
Category:	Accident
Location:	Dammam-King Fahad International Airport (DMM) -   Saudi Arabia
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Dammam-King Fahad International Airport (DMM/OEDF)
Destination airport:	Zaragoza Airport (ZAZ/LEZG)
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Saudi Arabian Airlines flight 919, operated by ACT Airlines, suffered a tail strike on takeoff from Dammam-King Fahad International Airport in Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft, a Boeing 747-400F, took off from runway 16R at 02:36 local time. The aircraft climbed to 7000 feet and entered a holding pattern to the west of the airport. After holding for 17 minutes the flight crew decided to divert to Jeddah. The flight climbed in steps to FL180, landing safely at Jeddah at 05:16.

The AIB determined that the direct causes for the first officer premature rotation of the aircraft immediately causing a severe long-distance tail strike with substantial damage were:
1) The 100-ton less-than-actual weight entry into the OPT. 2)
2) Flight crew override of the FMS dashed values

00:00 UTC / 03:00 local time:
OEDF 010000Z 13005KT 3000 BR NSC 11/08 Q1015 NOSIG=

23:00 UTC / 02:00 local time:
OEDF 312300Z 15005KT 3000 BR NSC 11/08 Q1015 NOSIG=

AIB Saudi Arabia

photo (c) Leslie Snelleman; Frankfurt International Airport (FRA/EDDF); 26 August 2019

photo (c) René Verschuur; Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport (AMS/EHAM); 03 July 2018

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