Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Weather; Human Factors; Company Policy
This was very much a convective weather day. Our flight had been impacted with multiple re-routes and holding; and substantial deviation around cells close to the airport to get us to final approach on runway 7. The approach was stable until short final when a substantial sink rate developed. I had to aggressively add power and back pressure to arrest the sink. These control inputs did not prevent runway contact; but did result in a bounce. Back in the air; I realized that in my attempt to arrest the sink; I had not pulled the power off before contacting the runway. Still; seeing adequate runway remaining; and knowing that there was weather very close to the field and getting closer; I decided to re-enter the landing maneuver; pulled the power; and re-established the landing attitude; which was a mistake. With the engines still spooled; I should have gone around. But I didn't. When I pulled the power; the spoilers deployed; and this time the landing was 'hard'; but the landing stuck; and we rolled out and taxied to the gate normally. If I had it to do over again; I wouldn't bother with the second landing attempt. I'd just go around.
A Boeing 777 captain reported a hard landing following an initial bounce after touching down.