On April 28, 1995, at 1529 central daylight time, a Cessna 340A, N300JM, was substantially damaged during landing at Redbird Airport (RBD), Dallas, Texas. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal instrument flight rules (IFR) cross country flight. During a telephone interview, the pilot reported the following information to the investigator-in-charge. On "short final" to runway 17, the left engine experienced a loss of "thrust", and the airplane yawed left. Power was applied, and the airplane yawed further left. Power was reduced on the other engine, and the airplane landed hard off the left side of the runway. A fire ensued from the left tip tank, and the airplane was shut down on the first turn off of runway 17. Examination of the airplane revealed scrape marks on the bottom side of the left wing tip tank and the front of the tip tank was displaced downward. There was fire damage to the left wing outboard of the engine. The top of the left wing, outboard of the engine nacelle had evidence of buckling. An airframe and power plant (A & P) mechanic examined the engine and found no mechanical anomalies that could have caused the loss of power.