Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 95; Flight Crew Total 2184; Flight Crew Type 160
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Airport
I was attempting a short field landing on Runway 27 at Franklin Field. Airspeed and descent rate were normal when I reduced power and was flaring. The aircraft touched down about 10 feet before the intended touchdown point; the main gear came in contact with a small berm at the beginning of the runway asphalt. I checked the landing gear back at our home base FBO and all seemed OK. Later it was discovered that damage was present in the upper part of the landing gear area.A non standard berm at the beginning of the asphalt on Runway 27 may have contributed to more damage (amount yet to be determined) than would be expected. This berm was at the beginning of the asphalt and was 1-1/2 to two inches high at 90 degrees to the runway surface. If the berm had been tapered and/or filled in with dirt or gravel; there would have been no damage to the aircraft. I believe the berm is a safety hazard and will certainly do damage to the next aircraft that lands three inches short of the asphalt as I did. I believe the berm's presence does not meet FAA standards for runways.
While making a practice short field landing at F72 the pilot of a small low wing aircraft landed 'three inches' short of the asphalt runway surface and later determined he had struck a 1.5 to two inch 'berm' of untapered material causing damage to the 'upper part' of the landing gear area.