According to the pilot, during a landing on runway 26, the airplane hit the runway "very hard," then proceeded to "porpoise." After two bounces, the pilot added power with the nose "already pointed down," and during the third bounce, the propeller struck the runway, resulting in engine stoppage and firewall damage. The pilot did not report any pre-accident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Winds, reported at the time of the accident, were from 260 degrees true, at 8 knots.