A Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737-700, registration CN-RNV performing flight AT-811 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Casablanca (Morocco), was accelerating for takeoff from Frankfurt’s runway 18 (length 4000 meters, 13,120 feet) when the crew rotated at too low a speed but controlled the pitch to avoid a tail strike. The aircraft finally lifted off a bit and settled back on the runway, became airborne for a larger hop in ground effect but unable to climb out and de-rotated settling down onto the runway again before the aircraft became airborne for a normal climb out. The aircraft continued to Casablanca for a safe landing.
At this time it remains unknown why the aircraft rotated early before sufficient airspeed was achieved to sustain a climb out of ground effect, an erroneous computation of takeoff performance (V speeds) as well as a premature takeoff rotation appear possible amongst other options.
The Aviation Herald