Hard landing involving a Cessna 172P, VH-AOZ, Rottnest Island Aerodrome, Western Australia, on 9 March 1996

It was reported that the pilot made a normal, full flap landing at 70 kt. The aircraft bounced back into the air and touched down three more times before coming to a stop. The propeller struck the ground during the third touchdown. A post-landing inspection disclosed that the engine firewall was bent at the nosewheel leg attachment point. The sequence of events and the damage indicates that the pilot misjudged the landing flare and allowed the aircraft to touchdown, nosewheel first, on at least one occasion.