What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 24, 2002, at approximately 1854 local time, a Douglas DC-9-31, N916RW, operated under 14CFR121 by northwest airlines, inc., departed runway 05, Raleigh-Durham airport, enroute to minneapolis-st. paul international airport. After departure, the flight crew reported that they suspected the aft lower fuselage had struck the runway surface as the aircraft rotated for takeoff. Post flight inspection revealed the tail strike indicator at a 45 degree angle down, indicating ground contact had occurred. Further inspection revealed the tail bumper support was cracked. With northwest airlines' maintenance and dispatch concurrence, the flight continued to minneapolis-st. paul, where it landed without incident. No passengers were injured. End.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 24, 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 1854 LOCAL TIME, A DOUGLAS DC-9-31, N916RW, OPERATED UNDER 14CFR121 BY NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC., DEPARTED RUNWAY 05, RALEIGH-DURHAM AIRPORT, ENROUTE TO MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED THAT THEY SUSPECTED THE AFT LOWER FUSELAGE HAD STRUCK THE RUNWAY SURFACE AS THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED FOR TAKEOFF. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED THE TAIL STRIKE INDICATOR AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE DOWN, INDICATING GROUND CONTACT HAD OCCURRED. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE TAIL BUMPER SUPPORT WAS CRACKED. WITH NORTHWEST AIRLINES' MAINTENANCE AND DISPATCH CONCURRENCE, THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL, WHERE IT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. END.
Other reports on N916RW · 6
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.