The crew made an error when entering data into the flight management system

The crew made an error when entering data into the flight management system (FMS) - instead of the actual takeoff weight, including fuel, the empty aircraft weight was entered into the computer. As a result, the system calculated significantly underestimated takeoff speeds, and the plane began to raise its nose too early.

The recording shows the aircraft dragging its tail along the runway for almost 720 meters, leaving a trail of smoke and sparks behind. After lifting off the runway, the crew stopped climbing at 2000 meters and dumped over 72 tons of fuel to reduce the weight to a safe landing mass. About 70 minutes after takeoff, the airliner safely returned to the departure airport.

Interestingly, there were three aircraft commanders in the cockpit, including a pilot instructor, but none of them noticed the incorrect parameters that led to the dangerous tail strike on the runway. Apparently, the guys were used to relying entirely on the computer calculation. 😖