8/20/2010 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS) -- Increased pitch angle by the pilot landing an E-4B aircraft was the cause of the tail striking the runway May 12 at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., according to the Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Aug. 20.
The tail of the aircraft impacted the runway between two to three feet right past the centerline. The pilot and crew brought the aircraft to a stop when they saw a bright flash at the second touchdown. The tail of the aircraft and the lower fuselage sustained damages.
According to the report, the board found major factors that significantly contributed to the accident included misperception of the operational conditions in altitude, glide path and descent rate on the aircraft's short final; breakdown in visual scan during a night landing; overcontrolling the input to the yoke of the aircraft; and procedural error recovery technique that resulted in too much pitch.
Estimated repair cost is approximately $3.1 million. The pilots and crewmembers were not injured, and there was no damage to personal property.
