Narrative:

I was a passenger on this flight; occupying the right front seat. The purpose of this flight was to familiarize the pilot with the unique flying characteristics of this particular kit-built velocity aircraft. The intention was to fly a few times around the pattern at albuquerque. Unfortunately; the first landing touched-down hard and ahead of a foot-high runway threshold barrier; resulting in damage to the aircraft and barrier. The pilot appeared confident and in complete control during the takeoff and flight around the traffic pattern. Upon turning final for runway 8; I mentioned that we appeared slightly low and to be aware of the sharply-rising terrain before the runway threshold. I donT specifically recall all that was said; but I do remember the pilot did correct the flight path by adding power. The fuselage speed brake was still extended; and I do recall noticing that the airspeed indicated well-within the green arc. I was unfamiliar with the flight characteristics of this model aircraft; and I didn't know the recommended airspds or pitch attitude for final approach; so I didn't say anything to the pilot. I still felt he had the flight path under control for a normal landing. At about 20 ft above the runway pavement; it was suddenly apparent that the sink-rate was excessive and the touchdown point would be close to the wood barriers; although seemingly slightly beyond them. My only reaction became a verbal expletive; for I had limited access to the center control stick and throttle. But up until the last few seconds; it appeared the airplane would touchdown beyond the barriers. Actualities have proved otherwise though. It was obvious the airplane had landed hard and I assumed some parts had been shed. Upon rollout; I directed the bewildered pilot to keep moving and clear the runway; even though the nosewheel was obviously flat. Upon shutdown on the taxiway; the pilot sat in silence as I contacted the tower to notify of our condition and that there may be some debris on the runway. The tower personnel may not have seen our landing; and I feared another aircraft may be damaged; or worse; from the debris.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VELOCITY--173FG PLT LANDS SHORT OF RWY; STRIKES BARRIER AND DAMAGES ACFT AT ABQ.

Narrative: I WAS A PAX ON THIS FLT; OCCUPYING THE R FRONT SEAT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS FLT WAS TO FAMILIARIZE THE PLT WITH THE UNIQUE FLYING CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PARTICULAR KIT-BUILT VELOCITY ACFT. THE INTENTION WAS TO FLY A FEW TIMES AROUND THE PATTERN AT ALBUQUERQUE. UNFORTUNATELY; THE FIRST LNDG TOUCHED-DOWN HARD AND AHEAD OF A FOOT-HIGH RWY THRESHOLD BARRIER; RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND BARRIER. THE PLT APPEARED CONFIDENT AND IN COMPLETE CTL DURING THE TKOF AND FLT AROUND THE TFC PATTERN. UPON TURNING FINAL FOR RWY 8; I MENTIONED THAT WE APPEARED SLIGHTLY LOW AND TO BE AWARE OF THE SHARPLY-RISING TERRAIN BEFORE THE RWY THRESHOLD. I DONT SPECIFICALLY RECALL ALL THAT WAS SAID; BUT I DO REMEMBER THE PLT DID CORRECT THE FLT PATH BY ADDING PWR. THE FUSELAGE SPD BRAKE WAS STILL EXTENDED; AND I DO RECALL NOTICING THAT THE AIRSPD INDICATED WELL-WITHIN THE GREEN ARC. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FLT CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS MODEL ACFT; AND I DIDN'T KNOW THE RECOMMENDED AIRSPDS OR PITCH ATTITUDE FOR FINAL APCH; SO I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO THE PLT. I STILL FELT HE HAD THE FLT PATH UNDER CTL FOR A NORMAL LNDG. AT ABOUT 20 FT ABOVE THE RWY PAVEMENT; IT WAS SUDDENLY APPARENT THAT THE SINK-RATE WAS EXCESSIVE AND THE TOUCHDOWN POINT WOULD BE CLOSE TO THE WOOD BARRIERS; ALTHOUGH SEEMINGLY SLIGHTLY BEYOND THEM. MY ONLY REACTION BECAME A VERBAL EXPLETIVE; FOR I HAD LIMITED ACCESS TO THE CTR CTL STICK AND THROTTLE. BUT UP UNTIL THE LAST FEW SECONDS; IT APPEARED THE AIRPLANE WOULD TOUCHDOWN BEYOND THE BARRIERS. ACTUALITIES HAVE PROVED OTHERWISE THOUGH. IT WAS OBVIOUS THE AIRPLANE HAD LANDED HARD AND I ASSUMED SOME PARTS HAD BEEN SHED. UPON ROLLOUT; I DIRECTED THE BEWILDERED PLT TO KEEP MOVING AND CLR THE RWY; EVEN THOUGH THE NOSEWHEEL WAS OBVIOUSLY FLAT. UPON SHUTDOWN ON THE TXWY; THE PLT SAT IN SILENCE AS I CONTACTED THE TWR TO NOTIFY OF OUR CONDITION AND THAT THERE MAY BE SOME DEBRIS ON THE RWY. THE TWR PERSONNEL MAY NOT HAVE SEEN OUR LNDG; AND I FEARED ANOTHER ACFT MAY BE DAMAGED; OR WORSE; FROM THE DEBRIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.