B737-800
Flight Attendant Current
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Our flight and was normal until final approach on landing. I was the #4 Flight Attendant this flight. At around 500 FT before landing I looked over at the Number 2 Flight Attendant on this flight and we both just stared at each other and then looked outside to see where we were to touching down. I knew we were too high to land and that our landing did not feel normal. The plane started to sink; and we heard the engines being pushed to throttle and we thought the pilot was going to possibly attempt a go-around. We hit the runway incredibly hard bounced up in the air and then I felt the right wing tip way to way close to the ground. I was actually looking outside to see just how close we were to hitting the wing tip and rolling over. At this point the plane was sideways and was squirreling all over the place. I thought we were going to have a crash landing. After we got to the gate at no time did the pilots call back and see if we were ok. The pilots at no time made a P.A. to the people about what had just happened. After the passengers deplaned and we got up to the flight deck; myself and the Number 2 Flight Attendant; we asked the Number 1 Flight Attendant where the flight deck was. Number 1 stated the Captain told her; 'I can't believe I almost crashed this plane and took off outside to look at the plane'. After our 2nd terrifying landing in 2 weeks on another 737; and not being able to talk to our Captain or First Officer; the Numbner 2 and I removed ourselves from our last two legs of our trip. We both were shook up. This was our 2nd unreal and terrible distressing landing in 2 weeks. On both of these incidents the weather did not play a factor. It was sunny and warm. On our flight back to base one of our 737 Captains had just finished his recurrent training. We had both flown many times together without such incidents taking place. He was the only pilot to give us some possible explanations. One; on the earlier incident; the Captain was new to the left seat and needs additional training. Or two it was a max flaps 40 involvement. He explained that some pilots like to practice using the 40 setting; when it really is only supposed to be used on short runways like LGA; DCA; and BOS. At our meeting; the Chief Pilot was initially in the meeting and told my friend and I that; 'this would happen again.' This statement was shocking to us because we have both flown this plane many times without these terrible landings taking place. It should be noted that for many years both Number 2 and I have flown the 737 and every plane this airline has had and never had any landings like these last two.This incident was on our first trip of the month. The earlier event; we had completed a turn I was the Number 4 Flight Attendant; and my friend was the Number 2 Flight Attendant on this flight. This was a really terrifying landing. The Captain came on the P.A. and told us and the passengers that it was 84 degrees and the wind was 5 MPH. He then told us to prepare for landing. My friend and I prepared the cabin and did our final cabin checks and took our jump seats and belted in. We first started to feel our plane did not feel right as we were around approximately 1;000 FT. We looked at each other and looked outside to see how close we were getting to touching down. As we stated to get closer to landing we both knew that everything about this landing did not feel normal; the position of the plane and the attitude. We hit so hard the plane bounced 8 to 9 feet; slammed down again on the runway and we bounced another 5 feet; and then our planes wings tipped so low to the ground; they went right to left and I told my friend to 'cover her eyes.' We both felt the plane was going to crash. After we got to the gate again the pilots never came on to talk to the passengers or to us the crew. By the time the Number 2 and I got up to the flight deck the Captain was gone. My friend spoke to the First Officer; and asked; 'what just happened; what was the landing all about?' The First Officer replied something about the winds; and my friend said no; there was no wind. Then the First Officer told my friend 'that the Captain was fairly new to the left seat'. This was a terrifying landing.
The event occurred because the pilot lost wind. He was going to do a go-around but decided to land the aircraft because he was lined up. However; we were still too high when he landed and we knew he was making a decision when we heard the engines flare and then we dropped down around 50 feet to the ground.We are the eyes and ears of this operation so everyone says. However; when we have negative issues to discuss most pilots leave us hanging with unresolved answers and emotions. Yes; we are able to feel when things are off with the engines; landings; weather. If the only thing the pilot is worried about is his aircraft and not his crew; we have a long way to go. A pilot that clearly knows that an incident occurred should at the very least call back and make sure that his crew is ok. If he could provide information as to what happened; would be great. Everyone says the back of the B737 feels totally different from the front of the aircraft and it's true.
Two B737-800 Flight Attendants report a Captain; apparently new to the left seat; lost control of the aircraft in the flare and made a very hard landing which resulted in two bounces before coming to stop.