N4725N

On June 15, 2002, about 0850 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N4725N, sustained substantial damage during landing at Johnson Creek Airport (3U2), near Yellow Pine, Idaho. The airplane is registered to the pilot, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal/pleasure flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight. The flight originated from Anaconda, Montana, approximately 1 hour and twenty minutes prior to the accident.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board on June 17, the pilot reported that while on short final to runway 17, at an altitude of approximately 50-75 feet above ground level (AGL), the airplane encountered a sudden and "severe" downdraft. The pilot applied full power and up-elevator, however, the airplane continued to descend and subsequently landed hard on the turf runway. During the hard landing, the left main gear and nose gear collapsed.

The pilot stated that he hadn't experienced any mechanical difficulties or malfunctions that may have contributed to the accident.