DC950 crew had a hard landing after being distracted by birds.

Attributes
ACN	513560
Time
Date	200106
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 650
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dsm.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	513560
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : birds other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

The first officer was flying the leg from rdu-dtw. We were close to our maximum landing weight. I made a comment about our landing weight and the higher speeds on our approach. The WX was VFR with a scattered to broken cloud layer. I made the 200 ft to touchdown and the 100 ft calls. Shortly after the 100 ft call just prior to the flare, 2 ducks flew directly in front of the nose of the aircraft from right to left. I though we would possibly hit them and possibly ingest one of them into the engine. It resulted in us having to focus on another item during the critical phase of landing. The distraction was perhaps only 1-2 seconds but was perhaps long enough to cause a hard landing because of not being able to initiate a proper flare. Back pressure was applied, however not enough to stop the momentum of a heavy aircraft. We taxied the aircraft to the gate with no abnormal indications of any kind. No logbook write-up was entered, however the outbound crew was informed. Some passenger complained and made comments. It was a firm landing but I've been in harder lndgs than the one we had.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC950 CREW HAD A HARD LNDG AFTER BEING DISTRACTED BY BIRDS.

Narrative: THE FO WAS FLYING THE LEG FROM RDU-DTW. WE WERE CLOSE TO OUR MAX LNDG WT. I MADE A COMMENT ABOUT OUR LNDG WT AND THE HIGHER SPDS ON OUR APCH. THE WX WAS VFR WITH A SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUD LAYER. I MADE THE 200 FT TO TOUCHDOWN AND THE 100 FT CALLS. SHORTLY AFTER THE 100 FT CALL JUST PRIOR TO THE FLARE, 2 DUCKS FLEW DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE NOSE OF THE ACFT FROM R TO L. I THOUGH WE WOULD POSSIBLY HIT THEM AND POSSIBLY INGEST ONE OF THEM INTO THE ENGINE. IT RESULTED IN US HAVING TO FOCUS ON ANOTHER ITEM DURING THE CRITICAL PHASE OF LNDG. THE DISTR WAS PERHAPS ONLY 1-2 SECONDS BUT WAS PERHAPS LONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE A HARD LNDG BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO INITIATE A PROPER FLARE. BACK PRESSURE WAS APPLIED, HOWEVER NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE MOMENTUM OF A HVY ACFT. WE TAXIED THE ACFT TO THE GATE WITH NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS OF ANY KIND. NO LOGBOOK WRITE-UP WAS ENTERED, HOWEVER THE OUTBOUND CREW WAS INFORMED. SOME PAX COMPLAINED AND MADE COMMENTS. IT WAS A FIRM LNDG BUT I'VE BEEN IN HARDER LNDGS THAN THE ONE WE HAD.

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.