Narrative:

I was cleared to land runway 21L at (luk). The approach was normal. The WX was clear. Lately I have been trying to land the aircraft without using up a lot of runway. Well this time when I started to flare the plane kept on sinking. I increased the angle of attack accordingly, but it kept on sinking. I hit a runway end identifier light with my left main tire breaking it. The plane landed on the runway with no problems. We didn't know we had hit anything until another plane waiting for takeoff reported it to the tower. No damage was done to our aircraft. I believe the problem arose from our company policy on trying to save on brake wear, we are told to be right on the airspds -- to land as soon as possible -- roll out as long as possible. I'm sure the company wants us to do this all within safe limits, I think I did not use good judgement and tried to put the aircraft down too soon, when it really wasn't called for. To resolve this problem in the future I'm going to make sure to land well within safe limits from the end of the runway. There was no need to try and cut the landing so close. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot realized he was low but for passenger comfort chose not to make any big control inputs. As a result he never got the necessary pitch change to bring the aircraft up above the level of the runway light. The aircraft does float during landing flare and he was counting on that float to ease him just a little higher. When the floating or ground effect did not take place as he anticipated it was too late. He admits he was just cutting it too close for proper safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT LANDS SHORT OF RWY DURING APCH.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 21L AT (LUK). THE APCH WAS NORMAL. THE WX WAS CLR. LATELY I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LAND THE ACFT WITHOUT USING UP A LOT OF RWY. WELL THIS TIME WHEN I STARTED TO FLARE THE PLANE KEPT ON SINKING. I INCREASED THE ANGLE OF ATTACK ACCORDINGLY, BUT IT KEPT ON SINKING. I HIT A RWY END IDENTIFIER LIGHT WITH MY L MAIN TIRE BREAKING IT. THE PLANE LANDED ON THE RWY WITH NO PROBS. WE DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD HIT ANYTHING UNTIL ANOTHER PLANE WAITING FOR TKOF RPTED IT TO THE TWR. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO OUR ACFT. I BELIEVE THE PROB AROSE FROM OUR COMPANY POLICY ON TRYING TO SAVE ON BRAKE WEAR, WE ARE TOLD TO BE RIGHT ON THE AIRSPDS -- TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE -- ROLL OUT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. I'M SURE THE COMPANY WANTS US TO DO THIS ALL WITHIN SAFE LIMITS, I THINK I DID NOT USE GOOD JUDGEMENT AND TRIED TO PUT THE ACFT DOWN TOO SOON, WHEN IT REALLY WASN'T CALLED FOR. TO RESOLVE THIS PROB IN THE FUTURE I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE TO LAND WELL WITHIN SAFE LIMITS FROM THE END OF THE RWY. THERE WAS NO NEED TO TRY AND CUT THE LNDG SO CLOSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT REALIZED HE WAS LOW BUT FOR PAX COMFORT CHOSE NOT TO MAKE ANY BIG CTL INPUTS. AS A RESULT HE NEVER GOT THE NECESSARY PITCH CHANGE TO BRING THE ACFT UP ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE RWY LIGHT. THE ACFT DOES FLOAT DURING LNDG FLARE AND HE WAS COUNTING ON THAT FLOAT TO EASE HIM JUST A LITTLE HIGHER. WHEN THE FLOATING OR GND EFFECT DID NOT TAKE PLACE AS HE ANTICIPATED IT WAS TOO LATE. HE ADMITS HE WAS JUST CUTTING IT TOO CLOSE FOR PROPER SAFETY.

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.