What happened
On August 31, 2012, a Cessna A185F, registration N3946Q, was operating on a small dry lake bed or playa near Gerlach, Nevada. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft encountered a light left crosswind, which caused the airplane to weathervane to the left. The pilot attempted to use the rudder to counteract this left-turning tendency but was unsuccessful.
In an effort to stop the aircraft, the pilot applied the brakes to abort the takeoff. This application of brakes caused the aircraft to ground loop to the left. The impact of the ground loop resulted in damage to the right wing and the horizontal stabilizer. There were no injuries resulting from the event.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft found no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal operation.