Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's delayed landing flare and his improper bounced landing technique.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The airplane landed hard, bounced and porpoised 3 or 4 times prior to coming to a complete stop. The pilot stated that the airplane was nose heavy during low speed operations. The engine firewall was found buckled.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 22, 1994, at 1210 central daylight time, a Cessna 182L, N42EM, was substantially damaged while landing near Mineola, Texas. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. In a telephonic interview, the pilot stated that the flight departed the Tyler Pounds Field (TYR) at 1130, with the Mineola Wisener Airport as his destination. The pilot stated that while landing on runway 17, the airplane landed hard, bounced and porpoised 3 or 4 times prior to coming to a stop. The pilot added that he "had full nose high trim during the approach, and he sensed that the airplane was nose heavy at slow speeds." Inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the engine firewall was buckled. According to the operator, the airplane was within weight and balance limits at the time of the accident. -