Narrative:

First officer's approach and landing in lex in VMC. Utilized VASI-left for primary guidance, with electronic GS as backup. The visual approach was slightly low on electronic GS and VASI indicated 'red over light pink.' airspeed varied between bug +5 to bug, with touchdown at bug speed. Touchdown was approximately 1000 ft down 7002 ft runway. Runway has +0.4% up slope. Touchdown was at a higher than average rate of descent, but not considered to be 'hard' by me. When the first officer and first flight attendant were saying good-bye to the passenger, they were made aware of 2 rows of masks which had dropped. 1 passenger informed them that she had sustained 'whiplash' on landing, allegedly as the masks in her row deployed. Upon deplaning I was informed of the 'whiplash' and advised that the passenger was being assisted by appropriate medical personnel. The passenger service agent took my name and said the problem was being handled. Maintenance crew from cvg stowed the masks, and performed a 'hard landing' check on the aircraft, and retrieved the fdrc tape. I did not request a 'hard landing' check because I did not consider it to have been a 'hard landing.' company maintenance and/or operations requested 'hard landing' inspection on the basis of the passenger alleged 'whiplash.' inspection resulted in 'ok for service' on aircraft. Subsequently, on oct/sat/97, different crew, different city, chief pilot (B727) informed me that masks at that row dropped again. I learned: slightly low, on bug speed, power off in flare with nose high equals firm touchdown. Passenger checked by hospital and released, current condition of passenger is unknown.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A B727 MADE A HARD LNDG CAUSING 1 ROW OF PAX SEATS' OXYGEN MASKS TO DROP AND 1 PAX NECK INJURY.

Narrative: FO'S APCH AND LNDG IN LEX IN VMC. UTILIZED VASI-L FOR PRIMARY GUIDANCE, WITH ELECTRONIC GS AS BACKUP. THE VISUAL APCH WAS SLIGHTLY LOW ON ELECTRONIC GS AND VASI INDICATED 'RED OVER LIGHT PINK.' AIRSPD VARIED BTWN BUG +5 TO BUG, WITH TOUCHDOWN AT BUG SPD. TOUCHDOWN WAS APPROX 1000 FT DOWN 7002 FT RWY. RWY HAS +0.4% UP SLOPE. TOUCHDOWN WAS AT A HIGHER THAN AVERAGE RATE OF DSCNT, BUT NOT CONSIDERED TO BE 'HARD' BY ME. WHEN THE FO AND FIRST FLT ATTENDANT WERE SAYING GOOD-BYE TO THE PAX, THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF 2 ROWS OF MASKS WHICH HAD DROPPED. 1 PAX INFORMED THEM THAT SHE HAD SUSTAINED 'WHIPLASH' ON LNDG, ALLEGEDLY AS THE MASKS IN HER ROW DEPLOYED. UPON DEPLANING I WAS INFORMED OF THE 'WHIPLASH' AND ADVISED THAT THE PAX WAS BEING ASSISTED BY APPROPRIATE MEDICAL PERSONNEL. THE PAX SVC AGENT TOOK MY NAME AND SAID THE PROB WAS BEING HANDLED. MAINT CREW FROM CVG STOWED THE MASKS, AND PERFORMED A 'HARD LNDG' CHK ON THE ACFT, AND RETRIEVED THE FDRC TAPE. I DID NOT REQUEST A 'HARD LNDG' CHK BECAUSE I DID NOT CONSIDER IT TO HAVE BEEN A 'HARD LNDG.' COMPANY MAINT AND/OR OPS REQUESTED 'HARD LNDG' INSPECTION ON THE BASIS OF THE PAX ALLEGED 'WHIPLASH.' INSPECTION RESULTED IN 'OK FOR SVC' ON ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, ON OCT/SAT/97, DIFFERENT CREW, DIFFERENT CITY, CHIEF PLT (B727) INFORMED ME THAT MASKS AT THAT ROW DROPPED AGAIN. I LEARNED: SLIGHTLY LOW, ON BUG SPD, PWR OFF IN FLARE WITH NOSE HIGH EQUALS FIRM TOUCHDOWN. PAX CHKED BY HOSPITAL AND RELEASED, CURRENT CONDITION OF PAX IS UNKNOWN.

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.