Virgin A340-600 tailstrike @ IAD.
I am surprised that there has been no posting on this one? Anyone know more?
A Virgin A340-600 landed at Dulles last week and hit the tail causing damage to the underside of the rear fuselage. It caused a cancellation and passenger disruption.
The airplane was ferried to Montreal unpressurised for Air Canada to do the repairs as Dulles does not have the facilities to do extensive sheet metal repairs.
It appears that the -600 has tail strike protection for the over rotation, on take off, situation. ie. when the struts are extended and there is lift. But, not in the case of a hard landing when the struts are squashed and the tires compressed. It hit well forward of the tail strike protection device and scuffed through the skin in several places. The structural damage did not appear to be too bad but still very expensive. I understand the landing was a good one at 1.3G which although not severe caused the damage and a nose high attitude may not have helped.
Not been there or done that, but got close I am sure!! There for the grace of etc.