A321 flight crew reported on landing experiencing a gust of wind resulting in a hard landing.
Synopsis
A321 flight crew reported on landing experiencing a gust of wind resulting in a hard landing.
Narrative
We were cleared RNAV Z Runway XXL into ZZZ. Landing weight was 168;000 lbs and ref speed of 136 kt. Current weather was VMC; winds 160 15 kt G25. Approaching FAF ZZZZZ speed was 170 kt where final configurations were completed and landing checklist was completed around 1;400'. During the descent we were seeing airspeed fluctuations about -3 kt +5 kt at one point; but trend arrows were moving around during whole approach. As we were approaching around 1;000 feet Aircraft Y was cleared for take off Runway XXL Shortened. Their takeoff roll was delayed a little longer then normal. At 500' the aircraft was stable on approach and everything appeared normal; nothing felt rushed nor were we behind the aircraft. During approach light chop and passing 30' to 20' I could start to feel the pilot flying (PF) start to add left rudder to correct for the right crosswind and about 20' we felt a sudden jerk on the aircraft and followed by a sudden sink rate with PF adjusting pitch immediately around 6-7 deg; but touchdown occurred before the full sink rate could be arrested as well as power was not able to be reduced to idle. The sequence of events were just a couple sec prior to touchdown. Touchdown occurred just past the 1;000' markers on center line with the left main gear (LMG) making initial contact with the runway. The touchdown was firm/hard; however no bounced landing occurred. Taxi to gate was uneventful. The aircraft auto printed out a Load report for the landing. The Captain called Maintenance Control and an Electronic Logbook (ELB) for hard landing was recorded followed by the Captain doing a report. I was the pilot monitoring (PM) and have been flying the Airbus for just about 2 years and have 1;460 hrs and specifically 241 hours in the 321neo and over 13;000 hours flying. Nothing during this approach appeared to have red flags. I suspect in reviewing the events it's possible with the gusty crosswinds warmer OAT and Aircraft Y taking off shortly before our arrival using shortened runway and perhaps they were a toga take off resulted is some very disturbed air during the final phase of our flight.
Second reporter narrative
I was the pilot flying; Person A pilot monitoring. Aircraft was ABCD. ZZZ was landing XXL using the RNAV GPS Y approach. We performed a thorough briefing before descent discussing the ATIS and NOTAMs with the shortened runway. Weather was clear with winds reported at 160 16 kts gusting to 25 temp of 81f. Weight of the aircraft was 168;000. It was a normal FMS Landing System (FLS) approach given 170 kts to the marker. We were stabilized with the checklist complete by 1;400 feet. Speed trend arrow was bouncing around plus or minus 5 kts with the turbulence from the gusts. At one point the speed dropped no more than 3 kts at about 200 feet but I quickly recovered in a couple of seconds. I was hand flying with auto thrust off as I always do. At about 50 ft we got a gust from the right that I corrected before starting the flare at 30 feet and as I put in left rudder to straighten out the longitudinal axis to the centerline the bottom just fell out we hit a quick sinker. I was trying not to pitch up too much to protect the tail from a tail strike but still arrest the sink rate and also not exceed 7.5 degrees of pitch. We touched down hard on centerline just passed the 1;000 foot markings. Taxied to the gate with no further issues. At the gate after engines shutdown the ACARS printed out a load report for the hard landing automatically. We called Maintenance Control to advise. I briefed the Chief Pilot and filed a report. I am not new to the Airbus fleet with 10;000 hours and almost 1;000 on the NEO which is primarily all I fly. I was very surprised at how quickly the aircraft dropped prior to touchdown. I'm extremely disappointed that I couldn't catch it with my experience on the jet.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.