Boeing 727-2Q6 and Smith Lancair 360 incident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 27, 2001
On July 27, 2001 at about 7:53 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 727-2Q6 (N782AT) and Smith Lancair 360 (N163DS), were involved in the same incident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Regional Airport). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The unsafe condition caused when the pilot of the other airplane taxied onto the runway. Factors relating to this accident were the pilot of the other airplane not following the instructions given him by the ground marshaller, his wrong taxi route, and him not obtaining clearance to taxi onto the active runway.
The unsafe condition caused when the pilot taxied onto the runway. Factors relating to this accident were the pilot not following the instructions given him by the ground marshaller, his wrong taxi route, and his not obtaining clearance to taxi onto the active runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2001 · about 7:53 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 727-2Q6 · all 727-2Q6s on the register
- Registration
- N782AT · no longer on the register · serial 21972
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Smith Lancair 360, amateur-built
- Registration
- N163DS · no longer on the register · serial 751
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727-2Q6 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain of the Boeing 727-2Q6 said they had just set takeoff rated thrust and were at approximately 80 to 100 knots, when he saw a Lancair 360 on the runway coming at them. The captain said he executed an abort and maneuvered left. The Boeing 727-2Q6's right wing passed over the top of the Lancair 360. The captain said, "We exited on [taxiway] Bravo, and taxied to the ramp." The captain said, "We were cleared to back taxi down [runway] 9. We were cleared for takeoff. We were told to expedite. There was a T-34 flight on final, 3 miles out. I turned [the airplane] and rolled." The pilot of the Lancair 360 said that he was taxiing to runway 9 following the signals of an airshow flag man (ground marshaller). "The flagman informed me that if I still wanted to depart that I could do so by taxiing quickly down the runway and get in front of the air show traffic. There was so much noise and commotion on the runway I failed to recognize the 727 who were back taxiing." The pilot said, "After spotting the 727 on the runway, I hugged the left side of the runway, giving him as much room as possible" The pilot said he was monitoring the runway frequency and didn't hear anything. The air traffic manager for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) airshow said they saw the Lancair 360 from the tower. The flag person said the Lancair approached him on runway 31, turned the 180 degrees, stopped, and shut down. The pilot stated he had a hot brake and wanted to cool it off. The flag person pointed out that the field would be closing at 1500 and he would be unable to depart until after the air show, if he waited too long. The flag person said he suggested to the pilot that if he could, continue taxiing for departure. "I then explained that I wanted him to taxi in the grass, in front of the warbirds waiting for takeoff. I coordinated by radio with the EAA flag person at the departure point that no aircraft were intending to taxi eastbound in the grass and it would be clear for the Lancair. The pilot agreed to my suggestion and restarted his engine. He turned 180 degrees to face me and I motioned him to come toward me, followed by signals to bear left onto the grass taxiway. The Lancair started his left turn, clearing my body, but before reaching the grass, straightened out and taxied the last 30 feet of rwy (runway) 31 and turned westbound on the edge of rwy 9. A B-727 that had back-taxied earlier, was lined up for an immediate takeoff on runway 9, his lights on. I broadcast[ed] an 'alert, alert, alert, that there was an aircraft on runway 9' on the Flightline Ops (Operations) network, knowing that the tower cab monitored our frequency. The 727 started his takeoff roll, but the Lancair continued taxiing along the edge of the runway. The 727 then went into reverse thrust and under heavy braking, moved to his left on the runway so as to clear the Lancair. His wingtip passed over the Lancair, but no contact was made." No damage was sustained by either airplane.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Smith Lancair 360 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain of the Boeing 727-2Q6 said they had just set takeoff rated thrust and were at approximately 80 to 100 knots, when he saw a Lancair 360 on the runway coming at them. The captain said he executed an abort and maneuvered left. The Boeing 727-2Q6's right wing passed over the top of the Lancair 360. The captain said, "We exited on [taxiway] Bravo, and taxied to the ramp." The captain said, "We were cleared to back taxi down [runway] 9. We were cleared for takeoff. We were told to expedite. There was a T-34 flight on final, 3 miles out. I turned [the airplane] and rolled." The pilot of the Lancair 360 said that he was taxiing to runway 9 following the signals of an airshow flag man (ground marshaller). "The flagman informed me that if I still wanted to depart that I could do so by taxiing quickly down the runway and get in front of the air show traffic. There was so much noise and commotion on the runway I failed to recognize the 727 who were back taxiing." The pilot said, "After spotting the 727 on the runway, I hugged the left side of the runway, giving him as much room as possible" The pilot said he was monitoring the runway frequency and didn't hear anything. The air traffic manager for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) airshow said they saw the Lancair 360 from the tower. The flag person said the Lancair approached him on runway 31, turned the 180 degrees, stopped, and shut down. The pilot stated he had a hot brake and wanted to cool it off. The flag person pointed out that the field would be closing at 1500 and he would be unable to depart until after the air show, if he waited too long. The flag person said he suggested to the pilot that if he could, continue taxiing for departure. "I then explained that I wanted him to taxi in the grass, in front of the warbirds waiting for takeoff. I coordinated by radio with the EAA flag person at the departure point that no aircraft were intending to taxi eastbound in the grass and it would be clear for the Lancair. The pilot agreed to my suggestion and restarted his engine. He turned 180 degrees to face me and I motioned him to come toward me, followed by signals to bear left onto the grass taxiway. The Lancair started his left turn, clearing my body, but before reaching the grass, straightened out and taxied the last 30 feet of rwy (runway) 31 and turned westbound on the edge of rwy 9. A B-727 that had back-taxied earlier, was lined up for an immediate takeoff on runway 9, his lights on. I broadcast[ed] an 'alert, alert, alert, that there was an aircraft on runway 9' on the Flightline Ops (Operations) network, knowing that the tower cab monitored our frequency. The 727 started his takeoff roll, but the Lancair continued taxiing along the edge of the runway. The 727 then went into reverse thrust and under heavy braking, moved to his left on the runway so as to clear the Lancair. His wingtip passed over the Lancair, but no contact was made." No damage was sustained by either airplane.
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 for the Boeing 727-2Q6 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,206 hours in all; 226 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,017 hours in all; 177 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: flight engineer, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,438 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 210,000 lb
- Seats: 182
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W JT8D-17 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W JT8D-17 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: P&W JT8D-17 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Trans Air
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 7:53 pm
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 6,178 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from OSH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
The factual record for the Smith Lancair 360 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 418 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 15 in the last 30 days; 351 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 9, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,042 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 7:53 pm
- Destination: Unknown
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 6,178 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.