Amateur-built GREAT LAKES 2TIA accident near Pensacola, Florida, July 31, 1999
On July 31, 1999 at about 12:50 pm local time, a amateur-built GREAT LAKES 2TIA, registered N47149, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Coastal 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 check the brake hydraulic fluid reservoir prior to flight resulting in a low fluid level going undetected and failure of the brakes during landing rollout, which resulted in the aircraft overrunning the runway, colliding with a fence, and nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1999 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Coastal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GREAT LAKES 2TIA GREAT LAKE
- Registration
- N47149 · no longer on the register · serial 7115-J521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing rollout the brakes did not work. The aircraft overran the runway, collided with a fence, and nosed over. Postcrash examination of the brake system showed the hydraulic fluid reservoir was empty and there was no evidence of postcrash leakage of fluid from the reservoir.
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: 611 hours in all; 438 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 512 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 671 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 82J FL at 12:35 pm
- Destination: 83J
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,510 ft by 230 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PNS, 10 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N47149 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.