Narrative:

After I was established on course inbound (about 5 NM outside the FAF), I reset my airspeed command bug to approach speed and disconnected the autoplt. I called for gear extension followed by landing flaps 28 degrees and the 'before landing checklist.' we completed the checklist and received landing clearance. I chose to fly the full VOR approach instead of a visual approach utilizing the VASI to get some practice. At our computed vdp (1.5 NM from runway) I departed the MDA and transitioned to the VASI GS. All parameters of flight were 'right on,' but I had this feeling of 'being low.' I visually rechked my seat position and flap confign and found them to be normal. My airspeed indicator showed me about 2- 3 KTS above 'bug' speed and the power was normal. As we crossed the overrun my first officer stated '...you got a sink going.' I crosschecked my vsi and noted a 700-900 FPM descent. I added power and pulled back slightly on the yoke in an attempt to reduce the descent rate. Throughout the entire final segment (from vdp to touchdown) I was on the VASI glide path, and was stabilized. We touched down firmly about 1200-1500 ft and completed the rollout uneventfully. I was still puzzled by the sink and firm touchdown. It was while the first officer completed the 'after landing checklist' that I noticed my airspeed bug was set to flaps 40 vref of 126 KTS, instead of vref flaps 28 of 131 KTS plus 5 KTS or 136 KTS. After arrival walk-around indicated tail skid compression and some scrappings on the fuselage area around and forward of the tail skid. Even though in visual conditions, flying the VOR approach and the resulting altitude step-downs, leveloff at MDA, descent at vdp, and runway alignment within 2 NM of the did not allow a fully stabilized approach and possible early recognition of the speed reference error. I also failed to include in my xchk the fast/slow indication of my primary flight display or attitude indicator, relying fully on my airspeed indicator and reference bug.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LGT ACR ACFT STRUCK THE TAIL SKID DURING LNDG CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SKID AND BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE TAIL AREA.

Narrative: AFTER I WAS ESTABLISHED ON COURSE INBOUND (ABOUT 5 NM OUTSIDE THE FAF), I RESET MY AIRSPD COMMAND BUG TO APCH SPD AND DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT. I CALLED FOR GEAR EXTENSION FOLLOWED BY LNDG FLAPS 28 DEGS AND THE 'BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST.' WE COMPLETED THE CHKLIST AND RECEIVED LNDG CLRNC. I CHOSE TO FLY THE FULL VOR APCH INSTEAD OF A VISUAL APCH UTILIZING THE VASI TO GET SOME PRACTICE. AT OUR COMPUTED VDP (1.5 NM FROM RWY) I DEPARTED THE MDA AND TRANSITIONED TO THE VASI GS. ALL PARAMETERS OF FLT WERE 'RIGHT ON,' BUT I HAD THIS FEELING OF 'BEING LOW.' I VISUALLY RECHKED MY SEAT POS AND FLAP CONFIGN AND FOUND THEM TO BE NORMAL. MY AIRSPD INDICATOR SHOWED ME ABOUT 2- 3 KTS ABOVE 'BUG' SPD AND THE PWR WAS NORMAL. AS WE CROSSED THE OVERRUN MY FO STATED '...YOU GOT A SINK GOING.' I XCHKED MY VSI AND NOTED A 700-900 FPM DSCNT. I ADDED PWR AND PULLED BACK SLIGHTLY ON THE YOKE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE DSCNT RATE. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FINAL SEGMENT (FROM VDP TO TOUCHDOWN) I WAS ON THE VASI GLIDE PATH, AND WAS STABILIZED. WE TOUCHED DOWN FIRMLY ABOUT 1200-1500 FT AND COMPLETED THE ROLLOUT UNEVENTFULLY. I WAS STILL PUZZLED BY THE SINK AND FIRM TOUCHDOWN. IT WAS WHILE THE FO COMPLETED THE 'AFTER LNDG CHKLIST' THAT I NOTICED MY AIRSPD BUG WAS SET TO FLAPS 40 VREF OF 126 KTS, INSTEAD OF VREF FLAPS 28 OF 131 KTS PLUS 5 KTS OR 136 KTS. AFTER ARR WALK-AROUND INDICATED TAIL SKID COMPRESSION AND SOME SCRAPPINGS ON THE FUSELAGE AREA AROUND AND FORWARD OF THE TAIL SKID. EVEN THOUGH IN VISUAL CONDITIONS, FLYING THE VOR APCH AND THE RESULTING ALT STEP-DOWNS, LEVELOFF AT MDA, DSCNT AT VDP, AND RWY ALIGNMENT WITHIN 2 NM OF THE DID NOT ALLOW A FULLY STABILIZED APCH AND POSSIBLE EARLY RECOGNITION OF THE SPD REF ERROR. I ALSO FAILED TO INCLUDE IN MY XCHK THE FAST/SLOW INDICATION OF MY PRIMARY FLT DISPLAY OR ATTITUDE INDICATOR, RELYING FULLY ON MY AIRSPD INDICATOR AND REF BUG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.