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July 23, 2021 · Driver RV-7 · N977RV

Oshkosh, WI

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 23, 2021
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (3 uninjured)
Location
Oshkosh, WI
Aircraft
Driver RV-7 (2005)
Tail Number
N977RV
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN21LA336

The pilots reported that they were landing at an airshow fly-in in a staggered four-airplane formation. The RV-8 was in the No. 2 position and the RV-7 was right behind it in the No. 3 position. The RV-7 bounced during the landing and the pilot lost sight of the RV-8 in front of him. The air traffic controller instructed the flight to turn left onto the grass and the RV-8 pilot later reported that he started the turn “without regarding the airplane behind” him. According to the RV-7 pilot, when the RV-8 came back into view, it was turning left directly in front of his airplane. The RV-7 pilot immediately applied the brakes and swerved hard to the right, but his left wing impacted the RV-8’s rudder, followed by the right wing and aileron. Both airplanes sustained substantial damage. Both pilots reported that the airshow environment created pressure to land, stop, and get off the runway into the grass as quickly as possible.

NTSB Probable Cause

The RV-8 pilot’s failure to account for the position of the RV-7 behind him during the landing roll in a staggered landing formation, which resulted in a ground collision of the two airplanes. Contributing to the accident was the self-induced pressure created by the airshow environment to land, stop, and get off the runway into the grass as quickly as possible.

Full Narrative

On July 23, 2021, about 1345 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built RV-7 airplane, N977RV, and a RV-8 airplane, N747JG, sustained substantial damage when they were involved in an accident at Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The pilots of both airplanes were not injured. The airplanes were operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilots reported that they were landing at OSH for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture airshow in a staggered four-airplane formation. They were cleared to fly to the orange dot and land on the green dot on runway 27. The RV-8 was in the No.2 position and the RV-7 was right behind it in the No. 3 position. The pilot of the RV-8 reported that he touched down and shortly thereafter air traffic control instructed the flight to turn left onto the grass. He stated that he started the turn “without regarding the airplane behind” him; the RV-7 struck his airplane’s rudder then right wing. Both the rudder and aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot of the RV-7 reported that his airplane touched down and bounced. It settled back onto the runway and started to slow. As the tailwheel touched down, he lost sight of the RV-8. When the RV-8 came back into view, it was turning left directly in front of his airplane. The pilot immediately applied the brakes and swerved hard to the right, but his left wing impacted the RV-8’s rudder, followed by the right wing and aileron. The RV-7’s horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. Both pilots reported that the airshow environment created pressure to land, stop, and get off the runway into the grass as quickly as possible. The pilot of the RV-8 further mentioned that their group of four pilots had been flying together for a very long time and they regularly conduct staggered landings. However, they normally had a very long rollout before turning onto the taxiway. The Formation Flying Inc Formation Guidelines and Standard Procedures states under Landing Options, Option 2: Staggered, “The lead aircraft must NEVER turn to cross the path of the wingman as he (she) exits the runway, without being assured that the wingman has his (her) speed under control.”

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:45 CDT
Nearest AirportWittman Regional Airport (0nm)
Runway27
Runway Length6179 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftDriver RV-7
Tail NumberN977RV
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsSuperior Air Parts · XP-IO-360-B1A · Reciprocating · 180 | Barrett Precision Engines · IO-360-X · Reciprocating · 210
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (3 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured3
Total3
Crew 1Age 60 · Second Class · None
Crew 2Age 69 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind190° @ 6 kt
Visibility9 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter30.04 inHg
Observation Time12:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data