North American AT 6F accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 24, 2019
On July 24, 2019 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1959 North American AT 6F, registered N7976A, 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). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2019 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT 6F G, built 1959 · all AT 6Fs on the register
- Registration
- N7976A · registry record · serial 121-43192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was returning to the airfield as part of an 11-ship formation. The wind at the airfield was from between 220° and 230° and 7 to 8 knots. He landed the tailwheel-equipped airplane on the left side of the runway and kept the tail up during landing rollout to allow for spacing with the other aircraft in the formation. When he began to lower the tail to the runway, the wind hit the airplane' left side and lifted the left wing. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane crossed to the right side of the runway, continued into grass, and came to a stop facing south. The left wingtip, aileron, and outboard aileron hinge struck the ground during the excursion, substantially damaging the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,842 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: February 3, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Witham Warbirds Llc
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Runway 36, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 29, 2019. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot Statement to FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
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.