Narrative:

Landing VMC on a stabilized approach from 800 ft AGL the touchdown was much firmer than normal. It was a visual approach and the actions taken were according to company procedures. The last thing I heard the flight engineer say was '30,' meaning 3000' RA altitude. Almost at the same time the aircraft touched down, also it was a very firm touchdown. I did not think any damage was done. As a precaution I asked the first officer to leave the flaps down to have our onboard mechanic inspect them when we got to the ramp. He found that 2 or 3 of the trailing edge flaps rods were busted. The runway 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 altitude on the part of the flight engineer but I am not sure, also maybe I did not shift my line of sight towards the end of the runway as I should have done. The rate of descent 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 first officer called sink rate, and at which time I raised the nose to decrease it and no more comments were made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 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.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.