On August 25, 1993, at approximately 0705 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Cessna U206B, N3431L, landed hard at a remote airstrip about 40 miles northwest of Challis, Idaho. The FAA certificated commercial pilot was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight, which departed Challis, Idaho about 0635 MDT, was operating in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The flight was on a company VFR flight plan, and the ELT, which was activated upon impact, was turned off at the site of the accident. The pilot said that he was attempting a short/soft field landing at the 1,000 foot long by 25 foot wide remote mountain airstrip. He said that he was on short final using full flaps, when the aircraft encountered a strong downdraft. He applied full power, but was unable to keep from landing hard on the water soaked dirt runway.