Incident Overview
A pilot flying a single-engine airplane reported a loss of lift shortly after flaring for a landing, leading to a bounced touchdown with structural damage. The pilot stated that after joining the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 14, he flew the base leg and turned final. He aligned with the runway centerline at 75 knots with two notches of flaps. Just before crossing the runway threshold, he reduced power and flared the airplane for landing.
Loss of Lift and Bounce
During the flare, the pilot felt a loss of lift. He noted that at the time he was above stall speed and received no stall warning indication. The airplane subsequently came down on the centerline and bounced four times. The stall warning horn sounded after the first bounce. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.
Examination and Winds
An examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed structural damage to the engine firewall. Recorded winds at the airport around the time of the accident were from 190 degrees at 6 knots.