On August 1, 1982, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 (registration N61861) operated by Caymon Enterprises was involved in an aviation accident near Scotts Valley, CA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an aerobatic show, a pilot entered a spin at 2000 ft AGL. After five turns, recovery began at 500 ft AGL, but insufficient altitude led to impact with a hill. The aircraft cartwheeled, came to rest inverted in a reservoir, and sank.
Accident Description
During an aerobatic performance, the pilot initiated a spin at approximately 2000 feet above ground level (AGL). A witness reported that the aircraft completed about five turns before the pilot began a recovery attempt at around 500 ft AGL. The spin ceased, but the aircraft lacked sufficient altitude to complete a pullout. It subsequently struck a hill, cartwheeled, and came to rest inverted in a small reservoir. The aircraft then floated toward the center of the reservoir and sank in approximately 7 feet of water.
Wreckage Examination
An inspection of the wreckage found no evidence of in-flight structural failure or control problems.