Incident Details
During a routine flight, the pilot reported that the engine began to miss while en route. Attempts to troubleshoot the problem were unsuccessful. The pilot then decided to divert to a private airstrip that was unfamiliar, setting up for a short field landing.
On short final approach, the engine missed again, causing the airplane to descend. The pilot noted that the altitude was insufficient to push the nose down, and opted to try and arrest the sink rate. The airplane settled to the ground and landed hard approximately 25 to 50 feet short of the airstrip, resulting in the collapse of the landing gear.
Post-Inspection
Following the incident, the engine was inspected and prepared for a run. It started on the first attempt and ran smoothly. Checks of the magnetos, mixture, and fuel pressure were all within normal operating parameters.