Incident Overview
During a landing attempt, a multi-engine airplane touched down on the runway and subsequently experienced a series of bounces, according to the pilot and passengers. The pilot reported that after touchdown, she felt aft yoke pressure and observed her right front seat passenger clenching the yoke with both fists. The airplane bounced once, and she aborted the landing. She flew one pattern, landed the airplane, and taxied to parking.
Passenger Accounts
The single-engine pilot-rated passenger in the right front seat stated that during the initial touchdown, both engines remained at high RPM and the airplane drifted to the right side of the runway. The airplane bounced, and the pilot reduced the engines to idle. The airplane bounced again, described as "very hard" on the nose landing gear, followed by a third bounce that landed "violently" on the nose landing gear. He reported feeling the need to prevent a fourth runway impact and grabbed the yoke, applying aft pressure to minimize the rate of descent. The pilot then applied full power and aborted the landing.
Another passenger seated in the right rear seat described the approach as normal, but the initial touchdown was "forceful," causing a bounce. He felt the airplane land on the nose landing gear followed by the main landing gear, and then a second "much harder" bounce. A third, hardest bounce ensued. He heard the engines spool up and observed the pilot abort the landing.
Damage and Mechanical Status
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, just below the windscreen. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Outcome
Following the aborted landing, the pilot flew one traffic pattern and successfully landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane was then taxied to parking.