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Accidents · NTSB CEN14FA399 · Final report

Amateur-built BREEZY accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 31, 2014

On July 31, 2014 at about 1:57 pm local time, a 1998 amateur-built BREEZY, registered N3AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing while the air traffic controller was simultaneously coordinating the landing of three airplanes on the same runway, which resulted in the airplane exiting the runway and impacting a parked ground vehicle.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
July 31, 2014 · about 1:57 pm local time
Place
Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Rgnl · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Amateur-built BREEZY NO SERIES, built 1998
Registration
N3AZ · no longer on the register · serial JD1
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The accident pilot flew a passenger on a 10-minute flight during the Experimental Aircraft Association Airventure Oshkosh 2014. During landing, the pilot lost airplane control and subsequently struck a parked ground vehicle. A pilot in another airplane that had been cleared to land reported that he saw two airplanes in front of his airplane: a light-colored high-wing airplane that was turning from the right base to the final leg of the traffic pattern, and a high-wing airplane, which was the accident airplane, directly in front of him on the right downwind leg. The pilot of the trailing airplane stated that the air traffic controller was providing instructions to the pilots of the other two airplanes simultaneously and that it appeared that the controller was concerned about the spacing between the two airplanes ahead of him and the fact that his airplane was a faster airplane than the other two airplanes. The pilot heard the controller tell the accident airplane pilot while he was on short final to "pick it up a bit" and inform hit that a faster airplane was behind him. The accident airplane touched down and then become airborne again, and the controller subsequently stated to the accident pilot that "he could set it down." The airplane landed again and veered left on the runway. The pilot appeared to correct the airplane's ground track back on the centerline for a short time before the airplane veered right off the runway and onto the grass. The airplane then became airborne again and was in a nose-high, right-wing-low attitude; the pilot was likely attempting to clear a row of vehicles parked in the grass outside of the safety area. However, the airplane's tail hit one of the vehicles, and a small ground fire ensued. The pilot of the trailing airplane did not see any debris on the runway nor anything fall off the accident airplane before it hit the parked vehicle, and no debris or separated parts were found on the runway. An examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The tower communications were consistent with the air traffic controller simultaneously coordinating the landing of three airplanes on the same runway. Photographs revealed that, after the accident airplane landed behind the first airplane, the separation between the two airplanes decreased before the accident airplane exited the runway. It is likely that after the accident pilot landed the airplane, he observed that the separation between his airplane and the airplane ahead of him was decreasing, which led to his loss of airplane control.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.

The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English

What happened, in order

  1. Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
  2. Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
  3. Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)

The NTSB's findings

  • cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
  • Environmental issues › Task environment › Pressures/demands › Equipment/operational › Contributed to outcome
  • Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Not specified
  • cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
  • cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Contributed to outcome

Pilot

  • Certificate: commercial pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
  • Flight time: 2,490 hours in all
  • Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: frt
  • Injury: fatal

Passenger

  • Seat: rear
  • Injury: serious injuries

The aircraft

  • Last inspection: condition inspection, July 10, 2014
  • Seats: 2
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
  • Fire on the ground

The flight

  • Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI
  • Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 36R, 5,500 ft by 50 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
  • Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
  • Observation at 1:53 pm from KOSH, 1 miles away

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew1
Passengers1

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

16 documents, released by the NTSB on July 15, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.

The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.

Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.