N5534GCessna 421C

The pilot, who had purchased the airplane the day prior to the accident, was on a cross-country flight with three other occupants. While landing at an airport, the airplane landed hard and collapsed the landing gear. A responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector found the airplane off the runway’s prepared surface and confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.