Piper PA-20 accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 18, 2025
On July 18, 2025 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1950 Piper PA-20, registered N7369K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s aggressive brake application which resulted in a loss of directional control and a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2025 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20, built 1950 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7369K · registry record · serial 20-278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 36L. The airplane in front of him landed short of their assigned point and started to decelerate rapidly. The pilot wanted to avoid a collision; however, he applied the brakes too hard and the airplane ground looped. The right wing and right elevator struck the ground which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 419.8 hours in all; 338 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 17, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DKB Dekalb IL at 8:58 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36L, 8,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KOSH, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KOSH 182153Z 20006KT 10SM SCT043 24/16 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP168 T02440156
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 2, 2025. 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/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Report Pictures | PDF, 3 pages | 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.