What happened
The pilot attempted to land a Cessna 185 on a turf runway located adjacent and perpendicular to a riverbank. During the landing configuration, just before touchdown, the aircraft experienced an increased rate of descent, which was attributed to either an increase in the tailwind or a downdraft.
As the aircraft approached the surface, it struck the face of the runway below the landing surface. This impact caused the right main landing gear to collapse. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, and there were no injuries reported.
Findings
The pilot did not report any mechanical deficiencies with the aircraft prior to the event. In discussing how the accident might have been prevented, the pilot noted that maintaining more airspeed could have helped counter the effects of a potential increase in tailwind.