Incident Overview
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. According to the pilot, the airplane was configured with full flaps and an airspeed of 80 knots on final approach. The pilot reported that the airplane was about 20 to 25 feet above the runway and was "floating down the runway" while bleeding off airspeed.
Pilot Actions
The pilot stated, "Suddenly it seemed that the plane just dropped." In response, the pilot reported that the airplane ballooned, so he added full throttle and aborted the landing. He subsequently returned to the departure airport and landed without incident.
Inspection Findings
A post-accident inspection of the airplane revealed that the stall warning system operated. An avionics technician inspected the airspeed indicator, and it indicated the correct airspeeds. The inspection also found no preexisting anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.
Conclusion
The investigation noted the absence of any mechanical or system malfunctions. The circumstances of the hard landing remain as reported by the pilot, with no contributing factors identified in the post-accident examination.