Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 N3803F

Summary

On 17 May 1998 at about 17:51 local time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 registered N3803F was involved in an accident near Tower, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 May 1998 at 17:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Tower, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

47.8109, -92.2899

Aircraft

Great Lakes 2T-1A-2

Registration

N3803F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA157

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane's fuel system, and fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a loss of engine power, due to an inadequate supply of fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that after takeoff, the airplane was in a climb at about 2,000 feet agl and 3 miles north of the airport when he began a turn to the east. During the turn, the airplane's engine began to cut in and out. The pilot said that he immediately made a turn back toward the airport, and pushed all of the engine controls forward. The engine continued to surge in and out and then finally quit. The airplane was over a lake at that time. The pilot said that he turned to parallel the shore line, and the airplane touched down in the water about 100 feet from shore. Examination of the airplane's fuel system showed less than one quart of fuel between the fuel tank and the gascolator. No other anomalies with the airplane were found.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.