- Date
- July 21, 2019, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oshkosh, WI
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- 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
- FAA reports
- 20190721016592I20190721008892I
- 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.