Narrative:

Flight left mci bound for den. The flight proceeded normally. Before top of descent, we received ATIS: clear, visibility greater than 7 mi, temperature 56 degrees, dewpoint 31 degrees, wind 190 degrees at 18 KTS, altimeter 29.85, visual approachs to south runways. A complete descent and approach briefing was accomplished for landing runway 17R. Also discussed was the possibility of landing on the other south runways. Radios, instruments, speed bugs were set for landing runway 17R. Landing weight 112000 pounds, vref 136 KTS, target speed 145 KTS, vref plus 15 of 151 KTS. The top of descent to a left downwind for the south runways was normal and uneventful. On left downwind at 11000 ft, we changed approach controllers and were offered runway 16 and accepted it. We were then quickly told we could expect a delay to that runway. We then requested runway 17R and were cleared for the visual to runway 17R. The approach was continued, flaps and gear were extended on schedule. The airport was clearly visible throughout the maneuver. Lights for runway 17L were on high. The terminal was clearly visible. Runway 17R was not visible. We lined up to land on the lit runway. PAPI and GS agreed. We were cleared to land on runway 17R. New winds were reported at 190 degrees 25 KTS, target speed now 151 KTS. The aircraft was configured fully and the approach stable. The landing checklist was completed above 1000 ft. Both radios were tuned manually to runway 17R localizer, map display on. We both realized there was no localizer capture, and that we were lined up on runway 17L. We discussed a go around or obtaining a new landing clearance. We asked for and received a landing clearance for runway 17L prior to 500 ft. We continued stable on the approach and PAPI. At approximately 500 ft, GS aural warning was heard. It was canceled and noted it was for the parallel runway. At approximately 100 ft, we received a GPWS sink rate warning, the PF made corrective action. At 50 ft on profile and over the threshold the airspeed deteriorated and the callout was made. The PF added thrust, the captain immediately added maximum thrust while pushing forward on the yoke. A hard landing was made. We did not suspect any external damage to the aircraft till after arriving at the gate and being told by ground personnel. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states there was a tail strike but also damage to the bulkhead and some stringers. Aircraft was a 737-400. He does not blame a wind shear condition although he says the fdr indicated a 15 KT change in wind speed. He feels he reduced power and should not have as he did not have time for the engines to spool up when he needed them. The crew went before the flight standards board and were given a 60 day suspension. Reporter specifically requests that this report not be used in any publication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 737-400 MAKES HARD LNDG, TAIL STRIKE.

Narrative: FLT LEFT MCI BOUND FOR DEN. THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY. BEFORE TOP OF DSCNT, WE RECEIVED ATIS: CLR, VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 7 MI, TEMP 56 DEGS, DEWPOINT 31 DEGS, WIND 190 DEGS AT 18 KTS, ALTIMETER 29.85, VISUAL APCHS TO S RWYS. A COMPLETE DSCNT AND APCH BRIEFING WAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR LNDG RWY 17R. ALSO DISCUSSED WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF LNDG ON THE OTHER S RWYS. RADIOS, INSTS, SPD BUGS WERE SET FOR LNDG RWY 17R. LNDG WT 112000 LBS, VREF 136 KTS, TARGET SPD 145 KTS, VREF PLUS 15 OF 151 KTS. THE TOP OF DSCNT TO A L DOWNWIND FOR THE S RWYS WAS NORMAL AND UNEVENTFUL. ON L DOWNWIND AT 11000 FT, WE CHANGED APCH CTLRS AND WERE OFFERED RWY 16 AND ACCEPTED IT. WE WERE THEN QUICKLY TOLD WE COULD EXPECT A DELAY TO THAT RWY. WE THEN REQUESTED RWY 17R AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 17R. THE APCH WAS CONTINUED, FLAPS AND GEAR WERE EXTENDED ON SCHEDULE. THE ARPT WAS CLRLY VISIBLE THROUGHOUT THE MANEUVER. LIGHTS FOR RWY 17L WERE ON HIGH. THE TERMINAL WAS CLRLY VISIBLE. RWY 17R WAS NOT VISIBLE. WE LINED UP TO LAND ON THE LIT RWY. PAPI AND GS AGREED. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 17R. NEW WINDS WERE RPTED AT 190 DEGS 25 KTS, TARGET SPD NOW 151 KTS. THE ACFT WAS CONFIGURED FULLY AND THE APCH STABLE. THE LNDG CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED ABOVE 1000 FT. BOTH RADIOS WERE TUNED MANUALLY TO RWY 17R LOC, MAP DISPLAY ON. WE BOTH REALIZED THERE WAS NO LOC CAPTURE, AND THAT WE WERE LINED UP ON RWY 17L. WE DISCUSSED A GAR OR OBTAINING A NEW LNDG CLRNC. WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A LNDG CLRNC FOR RWY 17L PRIOR TO 500 FT. WE CONTINUED STABLE ON THE APCH AND PAPI. AT APPROX 500 FT, GS AURAL WARNING WAS HEARD. IT WAS CANCELED AND NOTED IT WAS FOR THE PARALLEL RWY. AT APPROX 100 FT, WE RECEIVED A GPWS SINK RATE WARNING, THE PF MADE CORRECTIVE ACTION. AT 50 FT ON PROFILE AND OVER THE THRESHOLD THE AIRSPD DETERIORATED AND THE CALLOUT WAS MADE. THE PF ADDED THRUST, THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY ADDED MAX THRUST WHILE PUSHING FORWARD ON THE YOKE. A HARD LNDG WAS MADE. WE DID NOT SUSPECT ANY EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT TILL AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE AND BEING TOLD BY GND PERSONNEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THERE WAS A TAIL STRIKE BUT ALSO DAMAGE TO THE BULKHEAD AND SOME STRINGERS. ACFT WAS A 737-400. HE DOES NOT BLAME A WIND SHEAR CONDITION ALTHOUGH HE SAYS THE FDR INDICATED A 15 KT CHANGE IN WIND SPD. HE FEELS HE REDUCED PWR AND SHOULD NOT HAVE AS HE DID NOT HAVE TIME FOR THE ENGS TO SPOOL UP WHEN HE NEEDED THEM. THE CREW WENT BEFORE THE FLT STANDARDS BOARD AND WERE GIVEN A 60 DAY SUSPENSION. RPTR SPECIFICALLY REQUESTS THAT THIS RPT NOT BE USED IN ANY PUBLICATION.

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.