Preliminary NTSB Report on the Oshkosh P51 Crash Released

The following information came in to me by back channel email within the
last several minutes from a friend in the P51 Community.
I had just posted on the Mustang thread asking for patience in
speculating about this accident.
Anyway, here is the official word from the NTSB.
Dudley Henriques





NTSB: Pilots Weren't In Formation In OSH Landing Accident
Thu, 02 Aug '07
Says Race Aircraft Were Landing Separately

The National Transportation Safety Board released Wednesday its
Preliminary Report on last Friday's tragic landing accident at Wittman
Field in Oshkosh, WI during AirVenture 2007.
As ANN reported, pilot Gerard Beck was killed when his P-51A -- which he
built himself, using North American's original plans and blueprints --
struck the tail of a P-51D that had just touched down on runway 36 at
Wittman Field. Both aircraft had participated in a simulated air race
demonstration.

The prelim -- which follows, unedited but for formatting, below -- notes
the aircraft were not attempting a formation landing, as many had
speculated. Rather, it appears Beck may not have seen the P-51D's
location on the runway, resulting in the landing collision.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain
errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final
report has been completed.

On July 27, 2007, at 1519 central daylight time, a North American P51-D,
Mustang, N151RJ, sustained substantial damage during landing when it was
struck in the empennage and fuselage by an amateur-built Beck P-51A,
Mustang, N8082U. N151RJ had just landed on runway 36 (8,002 feet by 150
feet, grooved concrete) at the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh,
Wisconsin, and was starting its landing roll when N8082U struck its
empennage and fuselage.
The collision with N8082U pushed N151RJ onto its nose, and N151RJ
subsequently skidded down the runway and came to rest about 788 feet
from the initial impact point. N8082U was still airborne at the time of
the collision, and it rolled over to the right of the aft fuselage of
N151RJ and impacted the terrain in a wings level, inverted attitude. The
pilot in N151RJ was not injured, and the pilot in N8082U received fatal
injuries.
Both Mustang airplanes departed from OSH as part of a five-aircraft air
race demonstration event at the EAA AirVenture 2007 air show. The
demonstration air race was completed and the five aircraft were in the
process of landing separately, and not in formation, on runway 36.

On Aug 2, 7:35 pm, Dudley Henriques wrote:
The following information came in to me by back channel email within the
last several minutes from a friend in the P51 Community.
I had just posted on the Mustang thread asking for patience in
speculating about this accident.
Anyway, here is the official word from the NTSB.
Dudley Henriques

NTSB: Pilots Weren't In Formation In OSH Landing Accident
Thu, 02 Aug '07
Says Race Aircraft Were Landing Separately

The National Transportation Safety Board released Wednesday its
Preliminary Report on last Friday's tragic landing accident at Wittman
Field in Oshkosh, WI during AirVenture 2007.
As ANN reported, pilot Gerard Beck was killed when his P-51A -- which he
built himself, using North American's original plans and blueprints --
struck the tail of a P-51D that had just touched down on runway 36 at
Wittman Field. Both aircraft had participated in a simulated air race
demonstration.

The prelim -- which follows, unedited but for formatting, below -- notes
the aircraft were not attempting a formation landing, as many had
speculated. Rather, it appears Beck may not have seen the P-51D's
location on the runway, resulting in the landing collision.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain
errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final
report has been completed.

On July 27, 2007, at 1519 central daylight time, a North American P51-D,
Mustang, N151RJ, sustained substantial damage during landing when it was
struck in the empennage and fuselage by an amateur-built Beck P-51A,
Mustang, N8082U. N151RJ had just landed on runway 36 (8,002 feet by 150
feet, grooved concrete) at the Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh,
Wisconsin, and was starting its landing roll when N8082U struck its
empennage and fuselage.
The collision with N8082U pushed N151RJ onto its nose, and N151RJ
subsequently skidded down the runway and came to rest about 788 feet
from the initial impact point. N8082U was still airborne at the time of
the collision, and it rolled over to the right of the aft fuselage of
N151RJ and impacted the terrain in a wings level, inverted attitude. The
pilot in N151RJ was not injured, and the pilot in N8082U received fatal
injuries.
Both Mustang airplanes departed from OSH as part of a five-aircraft air
race demonstration event at the EAA AirVenture 2007 air show. The
demonstration air race was completed and the five aircraft were in the
process of landing separately, and not in formation, on runway 36.

That's too bad. I guess when two planes at an airshow land
together, everyone just assumes they were in formation.

The interesting phrase in that report to me is "were in the
process of landing separately, and not in formation"

I wonder what type of radio calls were made between them (if any,) and
if Casey Odegaard even knew if Gerald Beck was there.

you've never seen OshKosh operations..

search on the EAA web pages and review the OSH NOTAMS for the EAA Event

B

"Paul Dow (Remove Caps in mail address)" wrote in
message ...
The interesting phrase in that report to me is "were in the
process of landing separately, and not in formation"

I wonder what type of radio calls were made between them (if any,) and if
Casey Odegaard even knew if Gerald Beck was there.

"BT" wrote

you've never seen OshKosh operations..

search on the EAA web pages and review the OSH NOTAMS for the EAA Event

Perhaps you can enlighten us as to what the NOTAMS have to do with this
accident, since they were part of the air show, and NOT bound by the NOTAMS.

Best, on the other hand, to be silent on the subject, (and the previous
poster) as a sign of respect for the call of an end of speculation by the
P-51 community.
--
Jim in NC

I missed that they were part of the airshow.. I did pick up on the air race
demo..

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"BT" wrote

you've never seen OshKosh operations..

search on the EAA web pages and review the OSH NOTAMS for the EAA Event

Perhaps you can enlighten us as to what the NOTAMS have to do with this
accident, since they were part of the air show, and NOT bound by the
NOTAMS.

Best, on the other hand, to be silent on the subject, (and the previous
poster) as a sign of respect for the call of an end of speculation by the
P-51 community.
--
Jim in NC

"BT" wrote in message
...
I missed that they were part of the airshow.. I did pick up on the air race
demo..

At the point in the afternoon where normal takeoffs and landings cease on
18/36, the air show has technically begun. Operations are then under
command of the air boss for that portion of the airspace.

Normally, the "homebuilt showcase" as it has become to be known, is flown as
invitation only of two circuits of the pattern, and it is first.

The air race demo is after that (at some point) but before the air show
performers begin.
--
Jim in NC

BT wrote:
you've never seen OshKosh operations..

search on the EAA web pages and review the OSH NOTAMS for the EAA Event

B
This has squat to do with the NOTAM and the normal oshkosh show
arrivals. The airport was effectively closed except for the
five planes in the air "race" demo and the DC3 that was launching
to drop the skydivers for the next act.

"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
snip

Both Mustang airplanes departed from OSH as part of a five-aircraft air
race demonstration event at the EAA AirVenture 2007 air show. The
demonstration air race was completed and the five aircraft were in the
process of landing separately, and not in formation, on runway 36.

It looked like this on the video. The trailing aircraft was too far away to
be a formation landing. I looks like he lost sight of the guy in front.
You guys flying taildragger, I recommend kicking in a slip every now and
then on final to clear the runway.

Danny Deger
Lots of good flying stories on my web site,
www.dannydeger.net

Dudley Henriques writes:

The following information came in to me by back channel [...]
[...] The demonstration air race was completed and the five
aircraft were in the process of landing separately, and not in
formation, on runway 36.

Does that make sense though? It sounds like the two planes were very
close already on final, and the trailing pilot ought to have seen the
one just ahead.

- FChE