Wittman Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903
Friday, August 1, 2003 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Two airplanes were substantially damaged during a collision while both aircraft were landing at the annual Experimental Aircraft Association Airventure fly-in at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Reduced separation standards and special arrival procedures were in effect at the time of the accident. The accident aircraft were sequenced for landing and both were cleared to land at the same location on the same runway. The trailing airplane landed and struck the leading airplane as the leading airplane was exiting the runway. Federal regulations as well as the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) state that the pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft. The AIM further states that, regardless of type of flight plan or whether or not under control of a radar facility, the pilot is responsible to see and avoid other traffic, terrain, or obstacles, when meteorological conditions permit.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate visual look out and his failure to perform a go-around, and maintain clearance from the other airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Oshkosh
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54903
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 435904N
Event Location Longitude 0883325W
Event Location Airport WITTMAN REGIONAL
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 808
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
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 --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15274
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1310
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2004 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N3602D N66VA
NTSB Number CHI03FA238A CHI03FA238B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? No No
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Degair Vans Aircraft, Inc.
Aircraft Model Lancair 360 RV-6T
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 822 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1900 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional Conditional
Date of Last Inspection May 9 2003 12:00AM Jul 21 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45 30
Airframe Hours 633 --
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name Howard D. Swingle Vans Aircraft, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 Canterbury Ct. 14401 Keil Rd. NE
Aircraft Owner City Blacksburg Aurora
Aircraft Owner State VA OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24060 97002
Operator is an individual? Yes No
Operator Name -- --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address -- --
Operator City -- --
Operator State -- --
Operator Country -- --
Operator Zip code -- --
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? -- --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
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 Business
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code ATW OSH
Departure City APPLETON Oshkosh
Departure State WI WI
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1200 1245
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OSH --
Destination City Oshkosh --
Destination State WI --
Destination Country USA --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing Taxi - from landing
Report sent to ICAO? No No
Evacuation occurred No No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 5 2004 8:07AM Mar 5 2004 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record SULP SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27 27
Runway Length 6178 6178
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --