Air carrier flight crew reported a hard landing occurred when the flying pilot encountered light wake turbulence from preceding B777 aircraft just before touchdown. The Captain cited the relative lack of First Officer experience as contributing.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported a hard landing occurred when the flying pilot encountered light wake turbulence from preceding B777 aircraft just before touchdown. The Captain cited the relative lack of First Officer experience as contributing.
Narrative
Was on a visual approach for Runway 35L. We were backing the approach up with ILS guidance. Landing weight was approximately 757.0 lbs with a quartering right tail wind at approximately 7-8 kts. at 500 AGL. Our on path descent rate was at 1000-1100 FPM. We were following a 777 on the approach at 6.5 NM. The aircraft was on path and on speed when crossing the runway threshold. While crossing the threshold we encountered mild wake turbulence from the 777. At approximately 40 ft. AGL we got a sink rate call. We were in a normal position to land and felt the safest course of action was to land. I believe the hard landing was from an incomplete flare with First Officer's (FO's) attention being on keeping wing level in the wake turbulence. I also believe a contributing factor is the FO's consolidation has taken several months and as of the date of this event the FO still has approximately XX hours remaining.I think it is very important to get new Captains and First Officers their consolidation in the FAA allotted 120 days so they can have a bank of experience to draw from. Also when on a heavyweight approach more than just briefing descent rates also brief that the crew should look at the wind at 1000 & 500 AGL to determine if a tailwind component is occurring and take action early knowing that the margin that you thought you had will disappear rapidly with slightest deviation of pitch or wind and will create a sink rate call.
Second reporter narrative
I was the pilot flying while landing on Runway 35L in SDF. We were heavy; it was night time; and we had about a 12 kt. tailwind. The approach was uneventful other than a high ground speed. We were following a 777 at about 6 miles. At about 80 ft. AGL; we encountered the proceeding 777s wake turbulence which caught me off guard; destabilized the landing; and resulted in a higher than normal sink rate.To prevent this; I could have slowed earlier to increase the spacing to avoid the wake or gone around.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.