Rockwell International S-2R N4894X accident near Yellow Pine, Idaho

Probable cause

The pilot did not reduce the airplane’s descent rate prior to the landing flare/touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing.

NTSB analysis

During the landing at a remote snow-covered airstrip, the airplane touched down at a high descent rate, bounced back into the air, and then touched down again on the packed snow surface. As the airplane slowed and its weight transferred from the wings to the landing gear, one main landing gear attach fitting, which had been damaged during the initial hard touchdown, allowed its associated gear leg to partially collapse. The partial collapse of the landing gear resulted in the airplane veering to the right, whereupon the right wing impacted the snow bank along the side of the runway and sustained substantial damage.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR12CA103 for the full record.