Pitch Angles in Excess of _____ degrees will result in a tail strike?

• A. 11 Degrees
• B. 12 Degrees
• C. 13 Degrees
• D. 14 Degrees

Answer: (C)

Tail strike risk comes from not keeping enough clearance between the tail and the runway during rotation. The amount you can pitch up before the tail makes contact depends on aircraft geometry, weight, CG, and configuration, but for this aircraft the tested threshold is thirteen degrees of pitch. Exceeding thirteen degrees means you’re past the safe tail-clearance limit, so a tail strike becomes a real possibility during rotation. Lower pitch angles, such as eleven or twelve degrees, stay within the safe range, and while fourteen degrees is certainly beyond the limit, the question centers on the specified threshold, which is thirteen degrees.