Cessna 185E, VH-KPF, Rudall River, 93km South of Telfer WA, 4 January 1986

The pilot was attempting a short field landing. When he flared the aircraft it landed heavily before the threshold on a rocky outcrop. The right maingear and tailwheel tyres deflated and the aircraft veered to the right and ran over a windrow, damaging the tailwheel assembly, horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot had limited experience on the aircraft type and the approach was conducted in conditions of gusting wind and thermal turbulence. He had been taught to fly a short field approach with the stall warning horn continuously sounding. The approach was flown in this manner and the pilot could not recall the indicated airspeed during the approach.