Originally Posted by
Jet Jockey A4
So...
The aircraft struck something on the ground while taxiing and no one onboard noticed anything before the takeoff?
The pilots did not feel a thump?
The flight attendants did not feel, hear or even see anything?
The passengers on the left side of the aircraft with window seats did not see anything?
The pilots reported problems with the handling of the aircraft at takeoff but yet climbed to FL200?
What's going on here?
What appears to have happened is that for yet undetermined reasons, right at rotation the aircraft lurched to the left with a significant wing drop. During the ensuing excursion, the left wingtip struck the 5000' remaining marker before becoming airborne. Passengers and flight attendants did report the damage to the flight deck, and the aircraft returned to JFK.
That is about all we know right now. Let the investigators investigate.