Witman Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901
Saturday, July 25, 2009 12:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that during the landing roll the right rudder pedal welds failed. The airplane turned to the left into the wind and departed the left side of the runway. Because he had no right rudder or right brake authority, the pilot applied left rudder and brake in order to avoid a ditch which paralleled the runway. The right main gear collapsed and the firewall was damaged. Inspection of the airplane revealed the left seat, right rudder pedal had failed. The rudder pedals were tubular and the upper welds where the vertical tubes are connected to the cross-member had failed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the rudder pedal which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain directional control of the aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Oshkosh
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54901
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 435906N
Event Location Longitude 0883342w
Event Location Airport Witman 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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1227 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID OSH
Elevation of weather observation facility 789
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 4000
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) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 21
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.67
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26038
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 16 2009 10:23AM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N56SP
NTSB Number CEN09LA463
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 PILGRIM SAMUEL W JR
Aircraft Model RV-6
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 23088
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Mar 31 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 670
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERRY DAMON R
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9604 TAXIWAY DR
Aircraft Owner City GRANBURY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76049-4452
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name BERRY DAMON R
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City GRANBURY
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76049-4452
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MUT
Departure City Muscatine
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code OSH
Destination City Oshkosh
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2009 5:23PM
User who most recently changed record sulp
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36L
Runway Length 8002
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --