Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 accident near Arcata, California, September 26, 1982
On September 26, 1982, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, registered N353GL, was destroyed in an accident near Arcata, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- September 26, 1982
- Place
- Arcata, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 · all 2T-1A-2s on the register
- Registration
- N353GL · no longer on the register · serial 720
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & PAX WERE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE KLAMATH, CA AREA TO HAYWARD, CA. WITNESSES OBSERVED IT FLYING SOUTHBOUND AT 50 TO 100 FT OVER THE OCEAN'S SHORE LINE. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN TOWARD LAND, THEN CRASHED ON A NORTHERLY HEADING INTO TREES & BRUSH. THE TREES & BRUSH WERE LOCATED ON A BLUFF APRX 20 FT ABOVE THE BEACH. DRG AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE UPPER WING TANK AND ONLY ABOUT 1 QT WAS FOUND IN THE HEADER TANK. THE ACFT FUEL CAPACITY WAS 27.4 GAL WITH .7 GAL IN THE HEADER TANK CONSIDERED AS UNUSABLE.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 323 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 637 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 230 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B1G6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HWD Hayward CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 144°F (62°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ACV, 12 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.