Melbourne Tailstrike final report

[NigelOnDraft]

...was it wise for the crew to raise the gear, not being sure if anything had been damaged? Just asking.

With 20:20 hindsight, it might have been better to leave it down, in these exact circumstances.

However I (as a current airline Capt) cannot think of any circumstance, bar Windshear GA, where one is pre-briefed to leave gear down. To therefore "leave the gear down" in other situations requires:

1. 1 or more Flt Crew to suggest not raising the gear
2. The other Flt Crew to understand this interjection in time before gear is raised
3. The crew to interact (CRM, DODAR, analysis) as required and decide not to raise gear
4. All the above to occur at a flight critical phase of flight and delaying whatever else needs to be done

Bear in mind any "performance" issue assumes the gear is raised (typically engine failure).

So my view would be that yes, they were correct to raise gear, and I cannot see "how" a decision making process could work that would result in them not raising the gear that did not ask other "what ifs?".