What happened
The pilot reported that during the final approach, he flared too high for the intended touchdown point. Consequently, the airplane settled onto the runway surface in a flat attitude, with weight distributed across all three landing gear struts simultaneously. The impact caused the aircraft to bounce upward three times before settling again.
During the sequence of bounces, the nose tire lost pressure and went flat. As the aircraft continued its descent after the final bounce, the propeller assembly made contact with the ground surface. A subsequent physical inspection of the airframe confirmed that the firewall had been buckled due to the forces involved in the hard landing.
The investigation
Following the incident, a mechanical examination was conducted to determine the extent of the damage and the condition of the aircraft systems. The inspection revealed structural deformation of the firewall. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the hard landing.