A head suspension assembly including a head and a suspension coupled to the head to support the head to fly above the disc surface for operation. The head includes a slider having a bearing surface and a transducer having a transducer element. The suspension supports the head at a pitch angle determined so that close point between the head and disc surface is located at the slider spaced from the transducer. In one embodiment of the head suspension, the suspension supports the head during operation at a pitch angle &thgr;P≦(dR−dW)/dA-B−4 dC/l to avoid transducer contact with media asperities with mean roughness.