WPR11CA445

The pilot reported that, during his landing approach, while about 3 feet above the ground, the airplane lost all lift and touched down hard. He said that the airplane bounced, and while airborne, he applied power to prevent a second hard landing, but the airplane rotated to the left. The airplane bounced a second time, and an air traffic controller told the pilot to go-around. The pilot applied full power, but he lost control, the airplane yawed further to the left, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage when the nose and right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid to a stop.

According to the pilot's written statement, the approach for landing was normal. After the airplane crossed the runway numbers, the pilot initiated the flare. The pilot said that when the airplane was about 3 feet above the runway, it "lost all lift," and the pilot could not prevent a hard landing. The airplane bounced, and while airborne again, the pilot applied power to prevent a second hard landing, but the airplane began to weather vane to the left. The airplane bounced a second time, and a tower controller instructed the pilot to go-around. The pilot applied full power, the airplane yawed further to the left, and the left wing struck the ground. The nose and right main landing gear collapsed, the airplane slid to a stop, and the engine was stopped by the propeller striking the ground. The pilot attributed the loss of lift to a wind gust, and the loss of directional control to the slow speed of the airplane, and the high P-factor and torque from full engine power. The pilot reported that he was landing to the west, and that the winds were reported as being from the southwest at 10 knots, with no gusts.