Amateur-built RV-3 accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 31, 1983
On July 31, 1983 at about 5:41 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-3, registered N45AP, was destroyed in an accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1983 · about 5:41 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-3
- Registration
- N45AP · registry record · serial 409
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A 'SHOWCASE' FLYBY AT THE ANNUAL EAA CONVENTION. THE ACFT WAS FLYING #4 POSITION IN A FORMATION OF 4 ACFT. THE FLT WAS EXECUTING A VERY STEEP, NEAR 90 DEG BANK LEFT TURN AT 300-500 FT WHEN THE ACFT'S CAME UP & OVER PUTTING THE ACFT INTO AN INVERTED POSITION. THE PLT REGAINED AN UPRIGHT POSITION WHILE IN A DESCENT & THE ACFTSTRUCK A TREE. THE FLT LEADER STATED THERE WAS NO PLANE-TO-PLANE RADIO COMMUNICATIONS ESTABLISHED TO ADVISE THE WING & SLOT PLTS OF THE MANEUVERS ABOUT TO BE PERFORMED.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 861 hours in all; 142 in this make and model; 776 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 142 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 27, 1982; 115 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:40 pm from OSH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.