Korean Air 777-3B5 Tail Strike during Landing Flare

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4482151/

Korean Air's somewhat underpowered(thanks to P&W; which resulted in eventual 77W order few years back) B777-3B5 has suffered the tail strike during landing flare action. It is unusual to have tail strike during the landing. Most often tail strike is seen during take off when there is not enough power to lift the plane off the ground.

Deliberate tail strike is also performed as the one of the test during new aircraft certification process in what is called VMU test. However, this is performed with additional protection on the tail of the aircraft.

None of the 380(how ironic) passengers were injured.

Cause of the accident is seemed to be the combination of the bit of the pilot error and unusually high wind speed. According to the airliners.net forum thread, this may happen as a result of spoiler deployment resulting in the additional flaring of the nose. Such phenomenon is seen in most aircraft types; although depending on which spoilers(outbound or inbound) are extended, it can sometime lead to the sinking of the nose.