Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that during landing on the grass runway the nose landing gear contacted the runway hard, and the airplane bounced. The airplane landed again on the nose landing gear and bounced two more times in an “unstable oscillation” that he had never experienced before. The pilot stopped the airplane on the runway, then taxied to the ramp without further incident. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.