Incident Overview
The airplane experienced a hard landing that resulted in structural damage to the nose section. The nose gear assembly collapsed and the firewall was buckled upon touchdown.
Pilot Account
The pilot, who was concluding a practice flight, reported that he flared too high during the landing approach. Subsequently, the airplane's nose dropped, and it contacted the runway in a nose-low attitude.
Landing Sequence
After the initial hard touchdown, the airplane bounced several times before coming to rest on the runway. The impact forces were sufficient to deform the firewall and collapse the nose gear.
Mechanical Assessment
No preimpact mechanical anomalies were reported with the airplane. The pilot did not indicate any system malfunctions prior to the landing.