What happened
The pilot was conducting a routine landing operation when the incident occurred. While the aircraft was established on final approach for landing, the pilot's attention was diverted by his three-year-old daughter. She had unbuckled her restraint and moved from the right rear seat. The distraction prevented the pilot from maintaining proper control inputs during the critical phase of flight. Consequently, the airplane impacted the runway surface with excessive vertical speed. The force of the impact caused structural damage to the airframe, specifically buckling the firewall.
The investigation
Following the accident, the pilot provided a statement regarding the sequence of events. He confirmed that there were no mechanical malfunctions or system failures with the airplane prior to the impact. The pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented if his wife had been seated in the back with his daughter at the time.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was pilot distraction. The pilot failed to maintain adequate control of the aircraft due to attending to a child passenger who was not properly secured. This loss of focus resulted in an improper landing technique and subsequent structural damage.