Landfall Peak is a prominent peak

Summit (topography)

In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...

-shaped landmark near the extreme west end of Thurston Island

Thurston Island

Thurston Island is an ice-covered, glacially dissected island, long, wide and in area, lying a short way off the NW end of Ellsworth Land, Antarctica. It is the third largest island of Antarctica, after Alexander Island and Berkner Island...

, about 8 nautical miles (15 km) east-northeast of Cape Flying Fish

Cape Flying Fish

Cape Flying Fish is an ice-covered cape which forms the west extremity of Thurston Island. It was discovered by Rear Admiral Byrd and members of the US Antarctic Service in a flight from the Bear in February 1940. Named by US-SCAN for the United States Exploring Expedition ship Flying Fish,...

. Discovered by members of the United States Antarctic Service (USAS) in flights from the ship Bear in February 1940, and photographed at that time by E.B. Perce. The peak was plotted from air photos taken by U.S. Navy Operation Highjump in December 1946, and was observed by personnel of the U.S. Navy Bellingshausen Sea Expedition in February 1960. So named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending names for features in Antarctica...

(US-ACAN) because rock exposures on the peak serve as a mark for ships approaching Thurston Island from the west.