B747-100 CARGO ACFT LNDG AT FOREIGN ARPT HAD EXCESSIVE SINK RATE RESULTING IN A HARD LNDG AND DAMAGE TO TRAILING EDGE FLAP RODS.

Narrative

LNDG VMC ON A STABILIZED APCH FROM 800 FT AGL THE TOUCHDOWN WAS MUCH FIRMER THAN NORMAL. IT WAS A VISUAL APCH AND THE ACTIONS TAKEN WERE ACCORDING TO COMPANY PROCS. THE LAST THING I HEARD THE FE SAY WAS '30;' MEANING 3000' RA ALT. ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN; ALSO IT WAS A VERY FIRM TOUCHDOWN. I DID NOT THINK ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE. AS A PRECAUTION I ASKED THE FO TO LEAVE THE FLAPS DOWN TO HAVE OUR ONBOARD MECH INSPECT THEM WHEN WE GOT TO THE RAMP. HE FOUND THAT 2 OR 3 OF THE TRAILING EDGE FLAPS RODS WERE BUSTED. THE RWY TOUCHDOWN CAUGHT ME COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE. IN MY MIND I WAS STILL 3000 FT IN THE AIR; IT COULD HAVE BEEN A MISREADING OF THE RA ALT ON THE PART OF THE FE BUT I AM NOT SURE; ALSO MAYBE I DID NOT SHIFT MY LINE OF SIGHT TOWARDS THE END OF THE RWY AS I SHOULD HAVE DONE. THE RATE OF DSCNT WAS PRETTY CONSISTENT FROM THE 800 FT AGL POINT TO TOUCHDOWN AND IT WAS WITHIN LIMITS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AT THE 100 FT RA POINT WHEN THE FO CALLED SINK RATE; AND AT WHICH TIME I RAISED THE NOSE TO DECREASE IT AND NO MORE COMMENTS WERE MADE.