What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On November 14, 2003, about 1250 pacific standard time, united airlines flight 805, a Boeing 747-422, N178UA, experienced a tail strike on rotation at San Francisco, California. United airlines, inc., was operating the airplane as a scheduled international passenger flight under the provisions of 14 CFR part 121. The airline transport pilot licensed captain, 3 aircrew members, 17 flight attendants, and 335 passengers were not injured. The flight was enroute as a non-stop flight to hong kong china. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The crew reported that they suspected a tail strike on takeoff. They dumped fuel and returned to land at San Francisco. Evaluation of the damage resulted in structural repair to two structural members.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON NOVEMBER 14, 2003, ABOUT 1250 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 805, A BOEING 747-422, N178UA, EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE ON ROTATION AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. UNITED AIRLINES, INC., WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE AS A SCHEDULED INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 121. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT LICENSED CAPTAIN, 3 AIRCREW MEMBERS, 17 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, AND 335 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ENROUTE AS A NON-STOP FLIGHT TO HONG KONG CHINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE CREW REPORTED THAT THEY SUSPECTED A TAIL STRIKE ON TAKEOFF. THEY DUMPED FUEL AND RETURNED TO LAND AT SAN FRANCISCO. EVALUATION OF THE DAMAGE RESULTED IN STRUCTURAL REPAIR TO TWO STRUCTURAL MEMBERS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.