What happened
The pilot reported that during the final approach, he initiated the flare for landing. At this critical moment, intense sunlight caused significant glare on the windshield, which he described as turning completely white and obscuring his view. Due to the reduced visibility from the glare, the airplane descended slightly faster than intended. The aircraft touched down on the runway and subsequently bounced. This impact resulted in damage to the firewall structure.
The investigation
Following the incident, the pilot provided details regarding his experience and the condition of the aircraft. He reported having a total of 110 hours of flight time. However, he had only accumulated 2 hours of experience specifically in this make and model of aircraft. The pilot stated that there were no known mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the event.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to see clearly due to sun glare during the flare. This visual impairment led to a misjudgment of altitude and descent rate, resulting in a hard landing and bounce that caused structural damage to the firewall. The limited recent experience in the specific aircraft type may have also played a role in managing the flare technique under these adverse visual conditions.