The pilot receiving instruction reported that, while practicing a short field landing, he misjudged the touch down location, flared early and the airplane landed hard. The flight instructor reported that, he warned the pilot to maintain his pitch attitude, but he continued to flare and the airplane landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage aft of the nose wheel.

The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.