Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Wittman Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901
Sunday, August 3, 1997 7:25 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot-in-command stated that approximately 40 feet above ground level after takeoff from the 1500 foot grass field, the airplane, 'Would not climb hardly enough to clear the first set of trees.' The pilot reported that he, 'Could not get the nose down to gain airspeed. Turned aileron left, plane went right headed towards antiques airplanes. Used only rudder, and it turned left but went into a full stall hitting trees...' The aircraft came to rest after impacting a tree line and a chain-link fence. Witnesses to the accident reported that the airplane's engine was operating and at full power at the time of the accident. Post accident investigation revealed no anomalies with the aircraft or engine. Control continuity was confirmed for both roll and pitch axis with no anomalies found. The pilot further stated, 'When we arrived at the field that morning someone was in the cabin with the door open. I believe he or someone tampered with the controls.'
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's failure to maintain flying speed and loss of control resulting in a stall. Factors were the tree and the fence.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/3/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 725 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | OSHKOSH |
| Event State | WISCONSIN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 54901 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | WITTMAN REGIONAL AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | OSH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 285 |
| Airport Elevation | 808 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 653 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OSH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 808 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1497 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1948 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 3 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 730 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N41873 |
| NTSB Number | CHI97LA251 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Larsen |
| Aircraft Model | T-BIRD II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | T-BIRD II |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3343 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 991 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GARY LARSEN |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6918 NW 93RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | JOHNSTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | IA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 50131 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 725 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | C47 |
| Destination City | PORTAGE |
| Destination State | WI |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 28 |
| Runway Length | 1500 |
| Runway Width | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |