Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 accident near Scotts Valley, California, August 1, 1982
On August 1, 1982 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, registered N61861, was destroyed in an accident near Scotts Valley, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 1, 1982 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Scotts Valley, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 · all 2T-1A-2s on the register
- Registration
- N61861 · registry record · serial 0719
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PERFORMING IN AN AEROBATIC SHOW, THE PILOT ENTERED A SPIN. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, HE ENTERED THE SPIN AT ABOUT 2000 FT AGL AND MADE APPROXIMATELY 5 TURNS BEFORE STARTING A RECOVERY AT ABOUT 500 FT AGL. HE STOPPED THE SPIN, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO PULL OUT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A HILL, CARTWHEELED AND CAME TO REST, INVERTED, IN A SMALL RESERVOIR. IT THEN FLOATED TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE RESERVOIR AND SANK IN ABOUT 7 FT OF WATER. AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE OR CONTROL PROBLEM.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,752 hours in all; 402 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 582 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,580 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Caymon Enterprises
The flight
- Departed from: Santa Cruz CA at 4:05 pm
- Destination: Santa Cruz CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.