Incident Overview
A pilot reported being cleared to land on Runway 6R and instructed to hold short of Runway 36 for landing traffic. At the time of clearance, the wind was from a magnetic heading of 010 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots.
Passenger Intervention
During the flare and touchdown on Runway 6R, the right-seat passenger noticed an airplane landing on the intersecting runway. Unaware that the pilot was already aware of the converging traffic, she grabbed the pilot's arm, interfering with the controls, and shouted that there was an airplane in front of them.
Consequences
As a result, the airplane landed hard and bounced several times before a controlled rollout was established. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the firewall, nose gear assembly, fuselage aft of the firewall, and propeller.
Pilot's Statement
The pilot stated that the accident may have been avoided if the passenger had been wearing a headset.