MD88 damaged retractable landing lights on each wing during rocky landing with strong gusty winds.

Attributes
ACN	575114
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Windshear
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	575114
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	573854
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 4 visual
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Dispatched to dca from atl. Air carrier reported strong winds and gusty, but within aircraft limits. On approach to runway 1, tower gave current winds of 310 degrees at 25 KTS gusting to 42 KTS. We elected to land runway 33 via a visual approach. We circled to land runway 33, stable but gusty approach. Landing length verified and stable approach continued. 1000 ft and 500 ft calls were made. Very normal approach for gusty conditions until at approximately 100 ft prior to touchdown it felt as though 'the bottom dropped out.' immediately the captain (PF) added power to compensate for the sudden downdraft. We touched down left main gear first, bounced slightly, then touched down right gear, rolled out with 1000 ft or so remaining. Our fist indication of any damage was a report from the tower to check our wingtip upon reaching the gate. Postflt walkaround found minimal damage to both left and right extended wing landing lights. Both lights were repaired by maintenance and flight departed shortly after. FAA notified. No addition taken. I returned to flight status a couple days later.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 DAMAGED RETRACTABLE LNDG LIGHTS ON EACH WING DURING ROCKY LNDG WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

Narrative: DISPATCHED TO DCA FROM ATL. ACR RPTED STRONG WINDS AND GUSTY, BUT WITHIN ACFT LIMITS. ON APCH TO RWY 1, TWR GAVE CURRENT WINDS OF 310 DEGS AT 25 KTS GUSTING TO 42 KTS. WE ELECTED TO LAND RWY 33 VIA A VISUAL APCH. WE CIRCLED TO LAND RWY 33, STABLE BUT GUSTY APCH. LNDG LENGTH VERIFIED AND STABLE APCH CONTINUED. 1000 FT AND 500 FT CALLS WERE MADE. VERY NORMAL APCH FOR GUSTY CONDITIONS UNTIL AT APPROX 100 FT PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN IT FELT AS THOUGH 'THE BOTTOM DROPPED OUT.' IMMEDIATELY THE CAPT (PF) ADDED PWR TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SUDDEN DOWNDRAFT. WE TOUCHED DOWN L MAIN GEAR FIRST, BOUNCED SLIGHTLY, THEN TOUCHED DOWN R GEAR, ROLLED OUT WITH 1000 FT OR SO REMAINING. OUR FIST INDICATION OF ANY DAMAGE WAS A RPT FROM THE TWR TO CHK OUR WINGTIP UPON REACHING THE GATE. POSTFLT WALKAROUND FOUND MINIMAL DAMAGE TO BOTH L AND R EXTENDED WING LNDG LIGHTS. BOTH LIGHTS WERE REPAIRED BY MAINT AND FLT DEPARTED SHORTLY AFTER. FAA NOTIFIED. NO ADDITION TAKEN. I RETURNED TO FLT STATUS A COUPLE DAYS LATER.

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.