Lockheed 12A accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 31, 1990
On July 31, 1990 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Lockheed 12A, registered N12AT, was destroyed in an accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Oshkosh/Wittman Reg. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE(S) BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS(S).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1990 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Oshkosh, Wisconsin · Oshkosh/Wittman Reg. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed 12A · all 12As on the register
- Registration
- N12AT · registry record · serial 1217
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR A FLY-BY EVENT AT AN AIR SHOW. TWO FLY-BY CIRCUITS HAD BEEN COMPLETED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ON THE THIRD DOWNWIND LEG AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 600 TO 800 FEET AGL WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY EXTENDED, AND THE PILOT ELECTED NOT TO RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR IN ANTICIPATION OF LANDING ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PERFORMED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY PUSHING THE THROTTLES FORWARD AND ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT RESTART, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT CLAIM TO HAVE FEATHERED THE INOPERATIVE RIGHT ENGINE'S PROPELLERS. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT ANOMALY. THE RIGHT ENGINE'S MAGNETOS AND CARBURETOR WERE DAMAGED AND NOT FUNCTIONALLY TESTED. THE PROPELLER OF THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS FOUND IN AN UNFEATHERED, FINE PITCH POSITION.
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: 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; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 31,400 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 26,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,932 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1989; 9,932 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,200 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eaa Air Museum
The flight
- Destination: OSH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:08 pm from OSH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI90FA208.