Cessna 177 and Cessna T210M accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, August 5, 1986
On August 5, 1986 at about 5:28 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 177 (N17204) and Cessna T210M (N732XV), were involved in the same accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Field). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1986 · about 5:28 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Field
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N17204 · registry record · serial 17702518
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna T210M · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N732XV · registry record · serial 21061865
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 177 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A SPL TFC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WAS IN EFFECT FOR AN ANNUAL EAA FLY-IN, & A WAIVER TO FAA HANDBOOK 7110.65D WAS IN EFFECT WHICH ALLOWED FOR REDUCED SEPN BTN ACFT OPNG AT WITTMAN FLD. AS 2 ACFT WERE LNDG, THE PLT OF THE 1ST ACFT (CESSNA 177, N17204) WAS TOLD TO LND ON THE LAST HALF OF THE 6166' RWY, WHILE THE PLT OF THE 2ND ACFT (CESSNA 210, N732XV) WAS CLRD TO LND AT THE 'NUMBERS.' ALSO, TO ACCOMMODATE AN IFR ARRIVAL, BOTH PLTS WERE ADZD TO KEEP THEIR SPD UP DRG ARRIVAL. THE1ST ACFT LNDD LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE ON ABOUT THE 1ST 1/4 OF THE RWY. ALTHO THE 1ST PLT LNDD SHORTER THAN INSTRUCTED, THE 2ND PLT CONTD HIS APCH (DID NOT GO AROUND) & LNDD SLIGHTLY RGT OF THE CENTERLINE. AFTER TOUCH DOWN, THE 1ST PLT BRAKED ALMOST TO A STOP & SAW A FLAG PERSON, WHO HE THOUGHT WAS WAVING FOR HIM TO EXIT THE RWY. HE TURNED RGT & CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE 2ND ACFT. AFTER LNDG, THE 2ND PLT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER OR DECELERATE SUFFICIENTLY TO AVOID A COLLISION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PROP & NOSE OF THE 2ND ACFT HIT THE RGT WING & AFT FUSELAGE OF THE 1ST ACFT.
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 Cessna T210M final · quoted from the NTSB record
A SPL TFC MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WAS IN EFFECT FOR AN ANNUAL EAA FLY-IN, & A WAIVER TO FAA HANDBOOK 7110.65D WAS IN EFFECT WHICH ALLOWED FOR REDUCED SEPN BTN ACFT OPNG AT WITTMAN FLD. AS 2 ACFT WERE LNDG, THE PLT OF THE 1ST ACFT (CESSNA 177, N17204) WAS TOLD TO LND ON THE LAST HALF OF THE 6166' RWY, WHILE THE PLT OF THE 2ND ACFT (CESSNA 210, N732XV) WAS CLRD TO LND AT THE 'NUMBERS.' ALSO, TO ACCOMMODATE AN IFR ARRIVAL, BOTH PLTS WERE ADZD TO KEEP THEIR SPD UP DRG ARRIVAL. THE1ST ACFT LNDD LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE ON ABOUT THE 1ST 1/4 OF THE RWY. ALTHO THE 1ST PLT LNDD SHORTER THAN INSTRUCTED, THE 2ND PLT CONTD HIS APCH (DID NOT GO AROUND) & LNDD SLIGHTLY RGT OF THE CENTERLINE. AFTER TOUCH DOWN, THE 1ST PLT BRAKED ALMOST TO A STOP & SAW A FLAG PERSON, WHO HE THOUGHT WAS WAVING FOR HIM TO EXIT THE RWY. HE TURNED RGT & CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE 2ND ACFT. AFTER LNDG, THE 2ND PLT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER OR DECELERATE SUFFICIENTLY TO AVOID A COLLISION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PROP & NOSE OF THE 2ND ACFT HIT THE RGT WING & AFT FUSELAGE OF THE 1ST ACFT.
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 Cessna 177 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1,892 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,109 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1985; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y23 Chetek WI at 4:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,166 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from OSH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna T210M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,337 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1986; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,166 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI86FA199.