Hard Landing Damages Firewall During Skydiving Flight

Incident Details

A pilot was conducting skydiving operations in a tricycle landing gear equipped airplane. After dropping the skydivers, the pilot proceeded to land. During the flare, the airplane ballooned and subsequently touched down hard on all three landing gear. The impact caused substantial damage to the firewall.

Pilot's Account

The pilot reported feeling rushed while performing assigned duties, noting that the skydiving school wanted quicker turnarounds for subsequent loads. Despite this perception of time pressure, the pilot stated that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies before or during the flight that would have prevented normal operation.

Aircraft Damage

The hard landing resulted in substantial structural damage to the firewall. No other damage was specified in the report.