NTSB Factual Report

On July 16, 2004, approximately 1503 mountain daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N78RD, sustained substantial damage when it ground looped following a loss of control during the landing roll at Boise Air Terminal, Boise, Idaho. The airline transport pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross country flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed McCall, Idaho, about 1430.

During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 18, 2004, the pilot reported that she performed a wheel landing on runway 28L. As the tail settled, the airplane swerved slightly to the right, and she corrected with left rudder. However, the rudder was ineffective due to the slow speed of the airplane, and the airplane continued to swerve right. The pilot stated that at this point the left main tire peeled off the wheel rim, the wheel rim dug into the pavement, and the airplane spun around 180 degrees and came to a stop just off the right side of the runway. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.

The Director of Maintenance of the facility contracted to repair the airplane provided to the NTSB IIC a list of damaged parts that indicated the fuselage sustained structural damage in the area of the left main landing gear attach point.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll resulting in an inadvertent ground loop.