Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 accident near Santa Paula, California, August 31, 1986
On August 31, 1986 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, registered N10SV, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- August 31, 1986 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 · all 2T-1A-2s on the register
- Registration
- N10SV · no longer on the register · serial 0807
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BIPLANE CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF POWER. THE ACFT HAD BEEN DOING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT AT 7,500 FT MSL WHILE IN A DESCENT. SHE RELINQUISHED THE FLT CONTROLS TO THE FRONT SEAT CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PLT-PASSENGER WHILE SHE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE RESTARTED BUT DID NOT REGAIN ENOUGH POWER TO PREVENT THE ACFT FROM COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. THE FRONT SEAT PILOT WHO WAS CURRENT IN THE ACFT CONTINUED TO FLY UNTIL IMPACT.
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
- Flight time: 276 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 915 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 19, 1986; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,580 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B1G6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Channel Island Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from OXR, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.