Great Lakes 2T 1A accident near St. Mary'S, Pennsylvania, June 8, 2020
On June 8, 2020 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1932 Great Lakes 2T 1A, registered N863K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near St. Mary'S, Pennsylvania (St Marys Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain proper glide path during final approach which resulted in a collision with airport equipment short of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2020 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- St. Mary'S, Pennsylvania · St Marys Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Great Lakes 2T 1A Undesignat, built 1932 · all 2T 1As on the register
- Registration
- N863K · registry record · serial 124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after about 15 minutes of flying around the airport, he returned for landing. While he was on the base leg of the airport traffic pattern, he thought the airplane was a little high, so he reduced engine power so he could join the final approach on a 3-degree glide slope. As he entered the final approach, he added a little power and aimed for a touchdown point about 1,000 ft down the runway, which was sloped; it was higher on the approach end and dipped down in the middle. During short final, he realized that he descended below the glide path and his sink rate was higher than expected, so he added engine power, but shortly after doing so, he felt a "bang" and jolt, followed by a pitch down and impact with the terrain. The airplane struck a localizer antenna near the approach end of the runway and skidded to a stop in the grass. The forward portion of the fuselage, right wing, and horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tower/antenna (incl guy wires) › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,700 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 19,900 as pilot in command; 525 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 23, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,190.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,618 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner SuperScarab (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OYM St. Mary'S PA at 4:05 pm
- Destination: OYM St. Mary'S PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from OYM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 2, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Records of Conversation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array-accident Site and Damage | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.