# Accident 20020610013629A: Airbus A300F4605R, El Paso, TX, June 10, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 10, 2002, 21:30 local time
- Place: El Paso, TX
- Airport: El Paso International
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: FDEA
- Location: 31.8067° N, 106.3778° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8067&lon=-106.3778&mi=10
- Aircraft: N681FE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N681FE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airbus Industrie A300 F4-605R (registry code 3930327, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-industrie-a300-f4-605r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE CF6-80 series (registry code 30025, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf6-80-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A300F4605R
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA198) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020610013629A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON JUNE 10, 2002, AT 2130 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, FEDEX FLIGHT 1255, AN AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A300-600F, TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANE, N681FE, EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE DURING A REJECTED TAKEOFF (RTO) AT THE EL PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ELP), NEAR EL PASO, TEXAS. DURING THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 121 CARGO FLIGHT, THE OWNER AND OPERATOR WAS FEDEX EXPRESS, AT MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. THE CAPTAIN AND FIRST OFFICER WERE NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE SCHEDULED FLIGHT, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND ACTIVATED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23) DURING TAKE OFF ROLL THE CREW NOTED AN APPARENT FLIGHT MANAGEMENT COMPUTER (FMC) MALFUNCTION AND A CORRESPONDING "INSTRUMENT ROLLBACK." IN THIS CONDITION THE FMC AIRSPEED DATA HAS AN INTERNAL COMPUTER DEFAULT OF "100 KTS." THIS FAILURE OF THE FMC COINCIDENTALLY OCCURRED AT THE TIME AND POINT THE AIRCRAFT WAS PASSING THROUGH "VI". THERE WAS A LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AS INDICATED BY TWO ASPECTS, 1) THE CREW OBSERVED THE FAILURE BUT, DID                                                               NOT TRANSITION TO "RAW DATA" AVAILABLE ON THE STANDBY INDICATOR (PART OF FDEA CRM TRAINING) AND 2) THE FIRST OFFICE, THE NON-FLYING PILOT, APPEARS TO HAVE OVER-RELIED ON THE PLANNED "V2 REFERENCE DATA" AS OPPOSED TO VALIDATING WITH ACTUAL AIRSPEED. DURING THIS EVENT IT APPEARS HE MISTAKENLY MADE AN "EARLY" "VR" CALLOUT WHICH, WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 KNOTS TOO SLOW BY PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS. THE CAPTAIN DID IN FACT "ROTATE" THE AIRCRAFT INTO A CLIMB ATTITUDE UPON THE CALLOUT. REALIZING THAT THIS CONFIGURATION AND PROFILE WERE UNACCEPTABLE HE THEN "REJECTED" THE TAKE-OFF BACK ONTO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT RECONTACTED THE RUNWAY IN A CLIMB ATTITUDE OF AT LEAST 12 DEGREES OF NOSE UP PITCH. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY THE "SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE" NOTED IN THE AFT SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE, ONE STRUCTURAL FLOOR BEAM FORWARD OF THE AFT PRESSURE BULKHEAD. THIS DAMAGE CORRESPONDS DIRECTLY WITH A "TAIL STRIKE" SCENARIO WHICH IS NOTED HISTORICALLY WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW02LA198](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA198), Jun 11, 2002: Airbus Industrie A300-600F (N681FE), El Paso, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight crew's failure to obtain the Vr speed prior to rotation which resulted in insufficient lift and the subsequent tail strike.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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