What happened
During the final phase of flight, the pilot reported allowing the airplane to descend below the desired glide path while simultaneously losing airspeed. Recognizing the situation, the pilot applied only partial power rather than full throttle. As a result, the aircraft lost lift while still over the runway surface and impacted the ground with considerable force.
The touchdown occurred in an attitude that was both nose-high and tilted to the left. The impact caused substantial structural damage to the airframe. Specifically, the left wing tip sustained damage, along with the wing skin, two internal ribs, and the rear false spar. Despite the severity of the physical contact, the pilot confirmed there were no pre-impact failures or malfunctions involving the airframe or engine.
The investigation
The investigation relied primarily on the pilot's statement regarding the sequence of events leading up to the accident. Examination of the aircraft confirmed the described damage pattern consistent with a hard landing in a left-wing-low attitude. No mechanical defects were identified prior to the impact.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's decision to allow the airplane to become too low and slow during final approach. The application of only partial power was insufficient to arrest the descent or regain adequate lift before reaching the runway threshold. The resulting hard landing caused extensive damage to the left wing assembly.