2 capts disagree on the hardness of a landing. Aircraft is grounded.

Attributes
ACN	445249
Time
Date	199908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ith.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ith.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	445249
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was captain on air carrier X from elmira, ny, to ithaca, ny, on aug/fri/99. This was the last flight of the day for me and my crew. As we gave the aircraft over to the oncoming crew, I briefed the oncoming captain on the status of the aircraft, as is the custom. This included two MEL's, and I also mentioned to him that we had 'a little bit of a hard landing here.' whereupon that captain questioned me on what I meant by that, and if I thought I should have written it up. I replied that I didn't mean 'hard landing' in the technical sense, and in my judgement, not one that required a write-up. I was just passing along some information as a courtesy so that he might be aware of it when doing his walkaround inspection. By that I had in mind scuff marks on the main wheels or some such minor thing. Never did I suspect that the landing was a classified 'hard' landing, where the structure of the aircraft could have been in doubt -- and I told him so. If I did, I would have written it up in the logbook. I was later informed that this explanation did not satisfy that captain, and he made a write-up in the logbook regarding a 'hard landing,' grounding the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 CAPTS DISAGREE ON THE HARDNESS OF A LNDG. ACFT IS GROUNDED.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON ACR X FROM ELMIRA, NY, TO ITHACA, NY, ON AUG/FRI/99. THIS WAS THE LAST FLT OF THE DAY FOR ME AND MY CREW. AS WE GAVE THE ACFT OVER TO THE ONCOMING CREW, I BRIEFED THE ONCOMING CAPT ON THE STATUS OF THE ACFT, AS IS THE CUSTOM. THIS INCLUDED TWO MEL'S, AND I ALSO MENTIONED TO HIM THAT WE HAD 'A LITTLE BIT OF A HARD LNDG HERE.' WHEREUPON THAT CAPT QUESTIONED ME ON WHAT I MEANT BY THAT, AND IF I THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN IT UP. I REPLIED THAT I DIDN'T MEAN 'HARD LNDG' IN THE TECHNICAL SENSE, AND IN MY JUDGEMENT, NOT ONE THAT REQUIRED A WRITE-UP. I WAS JUST PASSING ALONG SOME INFO AS A COURTESY SO THAT HE MIGHT BE AWARE OF IT WHEN DOING HIS WALKAROUND INSPECTION. BY THAT I HAD IN MIND SCUFF MARKS ON THE MAIN WHEELS OR SOME SUCH MINOR THING. NEVER DID I SUSPECT THAT THE LNDG WAS A CLASSIFIED 'HARD' LNDG, WHERE THE STRUCTURE OF THE ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN IN DOUBT -- AND I TOLD HIM SO. IF I DID, I WOULD HAVE WRITTEN IT UP IN THE LOGBOOK. I WAS LATER INFORMED THAT THIS EXPLANATION DID NOT SATISFY THAT CAPT, AND HE MADE A WRITE-UP IN THE LOGBOOK REGARDING A 'HARD LNDG,' GNDING THE ACFT.

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.