Incident Overview
A Piper PA28-140, piloted by its owner, encountered a hard landing and subsequent porpoising during a landing attempt on Runway 17. The pilot reported that after completing a left base turn to final, he reduced power and attempted to flare. The airplane contacted the runway with significant force, then began to porpoise, bouncing hard two additional times before sliding to a halt. The pilot noted that the winds were from 180 degrees at 4 knots at the time of the incident.
Pilot's Assessment
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. He concluded that the most likely cause was excessive speed during the approach, leading to an instinctual landing technique rather than monitoring airspeed. Specifically, he remarked, "My best guess is that my speed was too high and I was trying to land by instinct rather than watching the airspeed."
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, the approach was normal until the final flare. Upon reducing power, the airplane did not settle gently but instead landed hard. The subsequent porpoising indicated a lack of proper control inputs to arrest the descent and maintain a stable touchdown. The airplane bounced twice more before coming to a rest on the runway.
Conclusion
The incident highlights a situation where the pilot's technique, influenced by excessive speed, led to a hard landing and loss of control on the roll-out. No injuries or substantial damage were reported in the source.