SEA93LA184

Factual narrative

On August 25, 1993, at approximately 0705 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Cessna U206B, N3431L, landed hard at a remote airstrip about 40 miles northwest of Challis, Idaho. The FAA certificated commercial pilot was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight, which departed Challis, Idaho about 0635 MDT, was operating in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The flight was on a company VFR flight plan, and the ELT, which was activated upon impact, was turned off at the site of the accident. The pilot said that he was attempting a short/soft field landing at the 1,000 foot long by 25 foot wide remote mountain airstrip. He said that he was on short final using full flaps, when the aircraft encountered a strong downdraft. He applied full power, but was unable to keep from landing hard on the water soaked dirt runway. WHILE MAKING A FULL FLAP, SHORT/SOFT FIELD APPROACH TO THE 1,000 FOOT LONG REMOTE MOUNTAIN AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT. HE ADDED FULL POWER, BUT HIS REMEDIAL ACTION WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM LANDING HARD ON THE WATER-SOAKED DIRT STRIP. DURING THE HARD LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR EXPERIENCED AN OVERLOAD AND COLLAPSED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12