Pilot riding in the cabin of an E145 notes an unstabilized approach and hard landing.

Attributes
ACN	615658
Time
Date	200404
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cha.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cha.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	615658
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was commuting home in the back of a flight from ord to ZZZ. I noticed many nonstandard actions performed by the crew including PA announcements and poor taxi techniques. The action I am concerned about was on approach to ZZZ. We were coming in too high and too fast and we were heading right for the runway. By about 1000 ft we were just slow enough for flaps 22 degrees when they were selected. I noticed the pitch attitude of the aircraft as nose down as if the crew was diving for the runway. We were in VMC the whole way and so I noticed certain landmarks on the approach and, being very familiar with the airport, I knew what altitude we were at crossing certain landmarks. We crossed about 500 ft and still were not configured for landing. I was waiting any second for a go around, but it did not happen. They continued the approach and flaps 45 degrees was not selected until crossing the threshold of runway 20 -- about 75 ft AGL. The flaps were still in transit when we touched down very hard on the runway. Control did not appear to be established until we were slow and about to turn off the runway. I had to answer to passenger when they asked me if that was normal. I said it was the gusty winds. This approach and lack of control of the aircraft was unprofessional, unsafe and a blatant violation of air carrier standards.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RIDING IN THE CABIN OF AN E145 NOTES AN UNSTABILIZED APCH AND HARD LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS COMMUTING HOME IN THE BACK OF A FLT FROM ORD TO ZZZ. I NOTICED MANY NONSTANDARD ACTIONS PERFORMED BY THE CREW INCLUDING PA ANNOUNCEMENTS AND POOR TAXI TECHNIQUES. THE ACTION I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WAS ON APCH TO ZZZ. WE WERE COMING IN TOO HIGH AND TOO FAST AND WE WERE HEADING RIGHT FOR THE RWY. BY ABOUT 1000 FT WE WERE JUST SLOW ENOUGH FOR FLAPS 22 DEGS WHEN THEY WERE SELECTED. I NOTICED THE PITCH ATTITUDE OF THE ACFT AS NOSE DOWN AS IF THE CREW WAS DIVING FOR THE RWY. WE WERE IN VMC THE WHOLE WAY AND SO I NOTICED CERTAIN LANDMARKS ON THE APCH AND, BEING VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT, I KNEW WHAT ALT WE WERE AT XING CERTAIN LANDMARKS. WE CROSSED ABOUT 500 FT AND STILL WERE NOT CONFIGURED FOR LNDG. I WAS WAITING ANY SECOND FOR A GAR, BUT IT DID NOT HAPPEN. THEY CONTINUED THE APCH AND FLAPS 45 DEGS WAS NOT SELECTED UNTIL XING THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 20 -- ABOUT 75 FT AGL. THE FLAPS WERE STILL IN TRANSIT WHEN WE TOUCHED DOWN VERY HARD ON THE RWY. CTL DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ESTABLISHED UNTIL WE WERE SLOW AND ABOUT TO TURN OFF THE RWY. I HAD TO ANSWER TO PAX WHEN THEY ASKED ME IF THAT WAS NORMAL. I SAID IT WAS THE GUSTY WINDS. THIS APCH AND LACK OF CTL OF THE ACFT WAS UNPROFESSIONAL, UNSAFE AND A BLATANT VIOLATION OF ACR STANDARDS.

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.