N21488

The pilot was flying the airplane on a multi-leg cross-country flight, and during a preflight inspection prior to one of the legs the pilot observed wrinkled skin on the right-side fuselage near the engine firewall. A local mechanic believed it to be minor damage and the pilot continued to his destination. Upon arrival, another mechanic noted that the damage appeared to be more serious and a ferry permit was requested. The damage was determined to be substantial and the ferry permit was denied by local Federal Aviation Administration personnel. Although the pilot stated that the damage appeared to be from a landing with the nose gear touching down first, he did not recall any unusual or hard landings during the previous cross-country flight legs. He also stated that he was the only pilot to recently fly the airplane and the damage most likely occurred during his control.The damage likely occurred during a hard landing; however, the time and location of the accident could not be determined based on the available information. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies during the cross-country flights.