Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 accident near Bloomington, Illinois, August 20, 1983
On August 20, 1983 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, registered N2XG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bloomington, Illinois (Bloomington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1983 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomington, Illinois · Bloomington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 · all 2T-1A-2s on the register
- Registration
- N2XG · registry record · serial 0830
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER AT APPX 100 FT AGL. HE HAD LIFTED OFF BEFORE REACHING THE MIDPOINT OF THE RWY. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE CLIMB ATTITUDE & CONFIGURATION OF THE ACFT, HE COULD NOT SEE THE RWY BELOW & THOUGHT HE WAS AT OR BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY. HE STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE NOSE & THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE & RAPID SINK RATE, BUT NO INDICATION OF A STALL. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND HARD IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE & WITH LITTLE FORWARD MOVEMENT. IT CAME TO REST BESIDE THE RWY & ABOUT 900 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END. AN EXAM OF THE ENG & FUEL SYS REVEALED NO PREIMPACT DISCREPANCIES, EXCEPT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE HEAVILY SOOTED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT 2 WITNESSES NOTED SMOKE FROM THE ENG AREA DURING THE CLIMB. THE TEMP WAS 95 DEG & THE ELEVATION WAS 875 FT. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE GEAR, COWLING & LOWER PART OF THE WING AREA.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 542 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 329 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1982; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,580 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B1G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,723 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:34 pm from BHI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.