Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 accident near Tower, Minnesota, May 17, 1998
On May 17, 1998 at about 5:51 pm local time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, registered N3803F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tower, Minnesota. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane's fuel system, and fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a loss of engine power, due to an inadequate supply of fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1998 · about 5:51 pm local time
- Place
- Tower, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 · all 2T-1A-2s on the register
- Registration
- N3803F · registry record · serial 0771
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that after takeoff, the airplane was in a climb at about 2,000 feet agl and 3 miles north of the airport when he began a turn to the east. During the turn, the airplane's engine began to cut in and out. The pilot said that he immediately made a turn back toward the airport, and pushed all of the engine controls forward. The engine continued to surge in and out and then finally quit. The airplane was over a lake at that time. The pilot said that he turned to parallel the shore line, and the airplane touched down in the water about 100 feet from shore. Examination of the airplane's fuel system showed less than one quart of fuel between the fuel tank and the gascolator. No other anomalies with the airplane were found.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,185 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 2,003 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,457 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 1998; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AIO-360-B1G6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 12D at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:36 pm from ELO, 17 miles away
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.