Ryan PT-22 and Piper E-2 accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 31, 1989
On July 31, 1989 at about 9:25 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Ryan PT-22 (N54403) and Piper E-2 (N2414), were involved in the same accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Wittman Field). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION'S (EAA'S) INADEQUATE PROCEDURE FOR PROVIDING CONTROL AND SEPARATION OF AIRCRAFT, ITS INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF THE OPERATION, AND INADEQUATE COORDINATION BY GROUND PERSONNEL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE GROUND PERSONNEL'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION, AND THE PRESENCE OF OTHER AIRCRAFT.
THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION'S (EAA'S) INADEQUATE PROCEDURE FOR PROVIDING CONTROL AND SEPARATION OF AIRCRAFT, ITS INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF THE OPERATION, AND INADEQUATE COORDINATION BY GROUND PERSONNEL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE GROUND PERSONNEL'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION, AND THE PRESENCE OF OTHER AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1989 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Wittman Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Ryan PT-22
- Registration
- N54403 · no longer on the register · serial 1387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper E-2 · all E-2s on the register
- Registration
- N2414 · registry record · serial 64
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Ryan PT-22 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG AN ANNUAL EXPERIMENTAL ACFT ASSOC (EAA) FLY-IN, A PARADE-OF-FLT DEMONSTRATION (DEMO) WAS STARTED, INVOLVING ANTIQUE & CLASSIC ACFT. AIR TRAFFIC CTL (ATC) RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OPN WAS ASSUMED BY EAA, IAW A CERT OF WAIVER TO 14 CFR 91. THE DEMO BGN BY LINING UP ACFT NR RWY 36 TO TKOF IN SEQUENCE. WHEN SIGNALED, EACH PLT WOULD TAKE OFF, FLY A PATTERN, THEN LND ON A GRASS STRIP BESIDE RWY 36 & BE DRCTD TO THE PARKING AREA. AFTER A PATTERN & LNDG, THE PLT OF PIPER E-2, N2414, APCHD RWY 36 (1800' FM THE RWY THRESHOLD) AS HE WAS TAXIING TO PARK. AT THE APRX SAME TIME, A RYAN PT-22, N54403,WAS BEING PREPARED FOR TAKEOFF. AN OFFICIAL (FLAGMAN) MOTIONED FOR THE E-2 TO CROSS THE RWY, BUT IT WASN'T EQUIPPED WITHBRAKES, SO THE PLT TAXIED SLOWLY. THE FLAGMAN MOTIONED FOR THE E-2 PLT TO EXPEDITE, BUT THE PLT CONTD TO TAXI SLOWLY TO AVOID ACFT AHEAD. MEANWHILE, THE PT-22 PLT BGN TAKING OFF & DID NOT SEE THE E-2 AHEAD. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PT-22HIT THE E-2, DAMAGING BOTH ACFT. THE E-2 PLT SAW THE PT-22, MOMENTS BFR IMPACT.
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 Piper E-2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG AN ANNUAL EXPERIMENTAL ACFT ASSOC (EAA) FLY-IN, A PARADE-OF-FLT DEMONSTRATION (DEMO) WAS STARTED, INVOLVING ANTIQUE & CLASSIC ACFT. AIR TRAFFIC CTL (ATC) RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OPN WAS ASSUMED BY EAA, IAW A CERT OF WAIVER TO 14 CFR 91. THE DEMO BGN BY LINING UP ACFT NR RWY 36 TO TKOF IN SEQUENCE. WHEN SIGNALED, EACH PLT WOULD TAKE OFF, FLY A PATTERN, THEN LND ON A GRASS STRIP BESIDE RWY 36 & BE DRCTD TO THE PARKING AREA. AFTER A PATTERN & LNDG, THE PLT OF PIPER E-2, N2414, APCHD RWY 36 (1800' FM THE RWY THRESHOLD) AS HE WAS TAXIING TO PARK. AT THE APRX SAME TIME, A RYAN PT-22, N54403,WAS BEING PREPARED FOR TAKEOFF. AN OFFICIAL (FLAGMAN) MOTIONED FOR THE E-2 TO CROSS THE RWY, BUT IT WASN'T EQUIPPED WITHBRAKES, SO THE PLT TAXIED SLOWLY. THE FLAGMAN MOTIONED FOR THE E-2 PLT TO EXPEDITE, BUT THE PLT CONTD TO TAXI SLOWLY TO AVOID ACFT AHEAD. MEANWHILE, THE PT-22 PLT BGN TAKING OFF & DID NOT SEE THE E-2 AHEAD. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PT-22HIT THE E-2, DAMAGING BOTH ACFT. THE E-2 PLT SAW THE PT-22, MOMENTS BFR IMPACT.
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 Ryan PT-22 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,936 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 1989; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,885 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner R-55 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH at 9:25 pm
- Destination: OSH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36L, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:25 pm from OSH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper E-2 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,356 hours in all; 129 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,276 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 729 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 22, 1989; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 970 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Cont A-40-4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH at 9:10 pm
- Destination: OSH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36L, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
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.
Other NTSB records under N54403 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.