Bad landings? So many to chose from. . . .
OK, here's a different kind of bad landing for you: one that looked great from the ramp, but which made me angrier than any other landing to date.
This was a few weeks ago. I was practicing a soft-field. LEt me start by telling you how I prefer a normal landing how in a 172. I should be stabilized on final either power-off, or with just a couple hundred rpms above idle (which I throw out in the flare). I prefer to be power-off on final, though.
So this time I setup nicely, turning final I went to 1000 rpm and full (40) flaps. In our 172, idle is about 750-800 rpm. I noted with satisfaction that I was on glideslope, steady at 60 KIAS, a good airspeed with 40 degrees, IMO.
In the flare, which was too high, she just wouldn't sink. Then she started to sink fast, so I add a bit of power. Now she won't sink again. Whoops, there goes the seat of my pants, so I add power. Now she won't sink.
But then I touch down softly. Fine--whatever. But why? I'm not sure (maybe you can tell me), but I did notice that I had about 1,500 rpm at touchdown! I probably floated 1,500 feet, too. At least it was a 7,000' runway.
At least I kept the nose up a few inches all the way to the taxiway, to practice holding the nose above the grass.
After I shut down, one of the airport bums commented that that was a very soft soft-field landing. I don't know if he was being sarcastic (because it was soft), but let's just say that the airplane did a better job than me that day!