Incident Overview
An airplane sustained damage during landing at the annual Experimental Aviation Administration (EAA) AirVenture fly-in. The pilot reported that air traffic control had cleared the aircraft to land on runway 18R. As the airplane descended to approximately three feet above the ground, the controller advised the pilot to extend the landing to the "blue dot."
Pilot's Account
According to the pilot, upon hearing the controller's instruction, they reacted by adjusting the aircraft's pitch. This caused the airplane to balloon upward by an estimated 25 to 30 feet. Subsequently, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and descended, resulting in damage upon landing.
The pilot noted that only a "tiny bit" of throttle would have been sufficient to extend the landing to the blue dot and that "all would have been well." The pilot also reported no mechanical failure or malfunction of the airplane.
Conclusion
The airplane was damaged during the landing sequence after the pilot responded to an air traffic control advisory while low to the ground. No mechanical issues were identified.