The private pilot reported that he was the second airplane in a flight of two and had been instructed by the air traffic controller to land on the orange dot on Runway 27 at the airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Dots are used to facilitate multiple landings for the annual fly-in.
During the descending turn from the base leg to the final leg, the pilot observed a third airplane. It appeared to be landing straight-in to Runway 27.
The air traffic controller instructed the flight of two to land further down the runway, on the green dot, to accommodate the third airplane.
As the pilot adjusted his engine power and descent rate for the new landing point, he noted that the closure rate with the lead airplane (in his flight of two) increased and the lead airplane decelerated quickly as it landed. The pilot increased the pitch of his Van’s RV-8 to overfly and avoid a collision with the lead airplane.
After he confirmed that he was past the lead airplane, he adjusted the pitch of the airplane and engine power to land, but landed hard. During the hard landing the airplane settled left wing down and veered to the left off the runway, and the left main landing gear collapsed.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.
There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate spacing from the lead airplane while landing following revised landing instructions, which necessitated that the pilot conduct an improper landing flare and resulted in a hard landing.
This July 2019 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
ATC at Oshkosh and other nearby airports is augmented by experienced controllers from other areas.
As good as these controllers are it is new to them too.
Over the years since 1967 I’ve had several near mid air conflicts. All at FAA towers. Sometimes it was a rookie and the supervisor broke into the radio.
At KSPI I was in a C150 on runway 18, cleared for a touch and go. An IL ANG C47 was doing same on runway 12.
Just before I was about to rotate the superviser said abort. I got stopped less than 100 feet from the intersection as the C47 passed about 50 feet AGL.
Listen to the other airplanes and their clearance. Remember military uses UHF. You won’t hear their reply but ATC usually transmits on both VHF & UHF.
You’re perfectly right Mr. DavidM
It seems that a go-around would have prevented this. Experienced pilots (myself included) develop a landing expectancy based on thousands of successful landing attempts, and tend to forget that a go-around is always an option and is sometimes the best option.
I wonder if this could be fallout from the FAA’s inane actions regarding the LODA requirement for receiving training in one’s own experimental. Not sure of the pilot’s history with the airplane, but perhaps he wasn’t as familiar with sink rate and landing characteristics as he could have been but for the FAA and its even more idiotic timing on its Notice of Policy. At least a collision was avoided and no one sustained injuries, but I fear there could be more fallout if the FAA doesn’t reverse its decision immediately.
How’s that have to do with this incident? This was from 2019. LODA just happened and there is a work around.
Yes FAA LODA is bad but let’s not lay blame on something that didn’t even exist.
Inane ? you left out an s.
I meant “inane” but “insane” also applies!
Perhaps given the intensity of orchestration some are not seeing a go around as an option.
A good friend who works ATC every year at OSH and Sun ‘n Fun shared this wisdom: When you find yourself feeling uncomfortable with a controller’s instructions, or think you are being pushed outside your comfort zone, just say “UNABLE.” The controller will then sort it out….that’s their job.
This is good advice in any situation, at any airport. Fly safe!
Agree completely but it appears the pilot may have been confident with the adjustments needed and didn’t feel a need to say unable. When starting training with short-field landings where the touchdown is supposed to be within a certain distance of a specified point, it is common to initially abandon the proper execution of the roundout and force the airplane to touch down on the specified point which is likely to cause damage. But proper speed for minimal float and proper back pressure for a gentle landing cannot be forgotten. It is so unfortunate that a set of circumstances resulted in this accident. I have never flown into Oshkosh, but after reading about the landing procedures, I think maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to do some training with an instructor on short field landings with last minute changes to the desired touchdown location before making that flight.