MD-11
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
On short final; Hydraulic System 1 failed (Level 2 alert and 0.1 gallon quantity).  Since we were only 30 seconds/1 mile from touchdown; I elected to take the aircraft from the First Officer (who was Pilot Flying at the time) and land.  We let Tower know that we may not be able to clear the runway; but after we stopped I was able to turn the plane to the right.  Tower told us that we appeared to be leaking some sort of fluid from around the nosewheel area and we chose to stop on Taxiway S.  The crew assessed the situation and confirmed the lack of Hydraulic quantity in the number 1 system. Tower initiated the crash/fire/rescure crews to come and inspect our airplane. We elected to have Maintenance pin the landing gear and tow the airplane back to parking.  This mechanical failure of a steering mechanism was probably not preventable.
[This report contains no additional information]
An MD-11 nose wheel steering began leaking on short final draining Hydraulic System 1 fluid and causing a HYD-1 alert so the Captain landed and had the aircraft towed to the ramp.