VELOCITY--173FG PLT LANDS SHORT OF RWY; STRIKES BARRIER AND DAMAGES ACFT AT ABQ.
Synopsis
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.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.