- Date
- July 28, 1999, 09:43 local (14:43 UTC)
- Place
- Oshkosh, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N350MBBurns Pietenpol AIR Camper
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990728029099A
- Case key
- 46882
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot failed to maintain directional control and ground looped the airplane. Factors included the crosswind and the turbulence from the DC-3.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported he extended the approach to land on runway 18 taxiway where he had been cleared to land. He reported, 'At the same time as my approach and flare to land, a DC-3 was upwind and to the front of me landing on runway 18. On my flare out I encountered wind turbulence from the DC-3 that caused my upwind wing to pitch up while my left wing touched the taxiway. This resulted in a ground loop off the left side of the taxiway.' On the day of the accident the pilot reported to investigators that there was a crosswind and a little tailwind, and that he landed slightly crooked into the wind. He reported that he landed with power but was about 10 mph to slow for the crosswind conditions. He reported that a DC-3 had touched down on runway 18 before he landed on taxiway 18.
Factual narrative
On July 28, 1999, at 0943 central daylight time, an experimental Burns Pietenpol Air Camper, N350MB, was substantially damaged during landing. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight had departed Hartford, Wisconsin, at 0945 CDT and was making a full stop landing on runway 18 at the Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The airplane veered to the left and went off the runway. The winds were 280 degrees at 7 knots with the wind direction varying between 240 to 300 degrees. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported he extended on approach to land on runway 18 taxiway where he had been cleared to land. He reported, "At the same time as my approach and flare to land, a DC-3 was upwind and to the front of me landing on runway 18. On my flare out I encountered wind turbulence from the DC-3 that caused my upwind wing to pitch up while my left wing touched the taxiway. This resulted in a ground loop off the left side of the taxiway."
On the day of the accident the pilot reported there was a crosswind and a little tailwind, and that he landed slightly crooked into the wind. He reported that he landed with power but was about 10 mph to slow for the crosswind conditions. He reported that a DC-3 had touched down on runway 18 before he landed on taxiway 18.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N350MB
- Reported as
- Burns Pietenpol AIR Camper (PIETENPOL)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 46
- Engine
- Continental A65-8A, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John M. Burns
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 1999 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- HXF · Hartford, WI
- Destination
- OSH
- Airport
- OSH · Wittman Regional, runway 18, 8,000 × 50 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 252 total · 53 in this make and model · 216 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OSH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.