Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 accident near Tucson, Arizona, May 17, 1987
On May 17, 1987 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, registered N5762G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Avra Valley Airport). It was a personal 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 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
- May 17, 1987 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Avra Valley Airport · 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
- N5762G · registry record · serial 1003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GREAT LAKES 2T-1A-2 NOSED OVER DURING LANDING. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD CONTACTED THE AIRPORT ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDS WERE FAVORING RUNWAY 30. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30 THE PILOT GLANCED A WIND SOCK LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 30 AND 21. IT INDICATED THAT WINDS TO BE FROM 210 AT APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS. THE PILOT THEN STATED, 'AFTER TOUCHDOWN A WIND GUST OR TWISTER HIT AND THREW TAIL RIGHT AND THE PLANE WENT LEFT. ' THE PILOT THEN APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT WENT RIGHT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ALLOWING THE LEFT WING TO TOUCH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FLIPPED OVER.
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: 10,029 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 390 in the last 90 days; 291 in the last 30 days; 9,078 as pilot in command; 951 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1986; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B1G6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E60 Eloy AZ at 8:45 pm
- Destination: E14 Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from TUS, 21 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.