CEN19IA234

NTSB incident investigation · Mooney M20J · Oshkosh, WI · July 21, 2019

Incident · No injuriesClass 3 · IncidentFinal report
Date
July 21, 2019, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
Place
Oshkosh, WI
Injuries
4 uninjured
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N9201AMooney M20JN197CVMooney M20U
Defining events
Enroute-cruise: Midair collisionEnroute-cruise: Midair collision
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
Case key
99916

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.

On this page

Probable cause

The failure of both pilots to remain clear of the other while flying in formation.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

N9201A · Mooney M20J

N197CV · Mooney M20U

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

N9201A · Mooney M20J

N197CV · Mooney M20U

Analysis

Both pilots and their passengers were flying in formation as a part of a mass arrival. The airplanes were a two-ship element with the Mooney M20J as the lead and the Mooney M20U as the wing. They were to join up with the preceding two-ship element after departure. After takeoff, the pilots of both airplanes were maneuvering into position to the right of the lead airplane in the preceding element. The pilot of Mooney M20U reported that he encountered wake turbulence that forced him above Mooney M20J. The pilot of Mooney M20J reported that he saw Mooney M20U above and forward of his right wing and slowing. Both pilots immediately maneuvered in attempt to deconflict their airplanes before they rejoined the formation and continued the flight. Neither pilot reported feeling the collision and there were no anomalies with either airplane for the remainder of the flight and subsequent landing. After landing, the pilots discovered the damage to the airplanes. The Mooney M20J sustained minor damage to the right outboard wing leading edge and the Mooney M20U sustained minor damage to the rudder.

Factual narrative

On July 21, 2019, about 1000 central daylight time a Mooney M20J airplane, N9201A, and a Mooney M20U airplane, N197CV, sustained minor damage when they were involved in an incident near Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Neither pilot nor their passengers were injured. Both airplanes were operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flights. According to the pilots of both airplanes, they had briefed the mass arrival flight procedures and intended to fly in formation from Dane County Regional Airport - Truax Field (MSN), Madison, Wisconsin, to OSH. The airplanes were a two-ship element with N9201A as the lead and N197CV as the wing. They were to join up with the preceding two-ship element after departing MSN. After takeoff, the pilots of both airplanes were maneuvering into position to the right of the lead airplane in the preceding element. The pilot of N197CV reported that he encountered wake turbulence that forced him above N9201A. The pilot of N9201A reported that he saw N197CV above and forward of his right wing and slowing. Both pilots immediately maneuvered in attempt to deconflict their airplanes before they rejoined the formation and continued the flight. Neither pilot reported feeling the collision and there were no anomalies with either airplane for the remainder of the flight and subsequent landing. After landing, the pilots discovered the damage to the airplanes. N9201A sustained minor damage to the right outboard wing leading edge and N197CV sustained minor damage to the rudder.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N9201A
Reported as
Mooney M20J (No Series)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
24-0610
Built
1978
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-A1B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
KMSN · Madison, WI
Destination
Oshkosh, WI
Flight plan
VFR/IFR
Equipment
Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Registration
N197CV
Reported as
Mooney M20U
Category
Airplane
Serial number
32-0001
Built
2015
Engine
Continental IO-550-G, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Departed
KMSN · Madison, WI
Destination
Oshkosh, WI
Flight plan
VFR/IFR
Equipment
Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot, aircraft N9201A
Age
55
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Waiver time limited special
Last flight review
March 15, 2019
Seat
Left
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
3,501 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 3,014 as pilot in command · 190 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot, aircraft N197CV
Age
61
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
4,600 total · 1,800 in this make and model · 45 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
30° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
30.01 inHg
Observed at
KOSH

Docket · 7

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 52.9 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.