N14HP

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 29, 1999, at 1500 central daylight time (cdt), a Chance Vought F4U-4 Corsair, N712RD, operated by an airline transport pilot, was destroyed when it collided with a Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat, N14HP, which was positioned on the east edge of runway 18 at Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, approximately 1,400 feet from the departure end. The F8F-1 was substantially damaged in the collision. At the time of the collision, the F8F-1, N14HP, was stationary on the runway with its engine at idle power. The F4U-4, N712RD, was at full power on takeoff roll and struck the F8F-1 from behind. A Chance Vought F4U-5 Corsair, N179PT, on takeoff roll in formation with N712RD, sustained substantial damage when the pilot saw a second Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat positioned on the runway in front of his airplane, and elected to steer his airplane off of the runway to avoid the other airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot of the F4U-4, N712RD, was seriously injured. The pilot of the F8F-1, N14HP, reported no injuries. The pilot of the F4U-5, N179PT, received minor injuries. The flights were being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 and were not on a flight plan. The three airplanes were part of a formation demonstration flight of eight airplanes in four sections of two airplanes each, that had been cleared to takeoff together from runway 18.

The accident occurred at the annual Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) convention "AirVenture 99" in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Air traffic control clearance for departing aircraft had been relinquished from the FAA tower to a local "air boss" who was a member of the Warbirds of America. The air boss confirmed that he had cleared all of the airplanes to takeoff as a flight.

At 1449:14 cdt, the Navy Flight leader (the pilot of N14HP), checked in with the warbird air boss on 126.6 Megahertz (mhz), and requested "a little more time" to get all of the airplanes in the flight onto the runway to perform their respective engine run-ups. The air boss responded that he's put the flight on the runway following the launch of a flight consisting of T-34's and a flight made up of Mustangs.

At 1454:34 cdt, the air boss asked the Navy Flight leader how long it would take the flight to do their run-ups. The flight leader responded, "just a couple of minutes." He then corrected his statement by interjecting, "How about one minute?" The air boss responded, "whatever you need."

At 1456:19 cdt, the air boss told the Navy Flight leader, "go ahead and take position on the P-51 (Mustang) to get yourself out on the runway and do your run-up, and then take interval on the P-51, which should already be airborne, you're cleared for takeoff also." The Navy Flight leader responded, "Ah Navy Wilco".

Witnesses on the ground reported that the first section, composed of the two F8F-1, Bearcats (N14HP and N2209), taxied down runway 18, turned toward the southwest, and stopped, and the lead airplane in the second section, composed of the F4U-4 (N712RD) and the F4U-5 (N179PT), overran the first section, while the two airplanes were still on the runway.

The flight leader and pilot of the F8F-1, N14HP, said that all of the airplanes in the flight were briefed to taxi onto the runway and then do their engine run-ups. The pilot said he taxied down the runway to the 6,000 foot remaining marker and parked on the edge of the runway, turning the airplane to a heading of 240 degrees, into the wind. "I hadn't started my run-up. I was waiting for everyone to get on the runway. I didn't see him (N712RD) coming." Just then the pilot in the number 5 airplane yelled out over the radio "watch out. That's when he (N712RD) hit me. I spun around 180 degrees onto the grass. I watched him go down the runway and become a horror story."

The pilot of the number two Bearcat (N2209) said that he taxied down the runway with the flight leader, taking a position left of the runway centerline, and turned his airplane so that the nose was almost pointed into the wind. The pilot said that he had just gotten stationary, when he heard the engine noise from the approaching Corsairs. He said that he say a "flash of blue" pass by him on his left side. He then saw the Corsair (N712RD) "go airborne and break up. After [seeing] the flash of blue, and the hit, and the Corsair coming apart, I heard another one (airplane) coming, and [saw it] go by me on my right side. I then saw the other Corsair go off into the grass."

The pilot of the number four airplane (N179PT) and second airplane of the second section said that he and his section leader, the pilot of N712RD, started onto the runway. Once on the runway, the pilot said the section leader stopped and turned 45 degrees [pointing into the wind]. "Then we squared and went parallel [to the runway]. I assumed that he was clearing the runway. The Bearcats were so far down, about 1,200 feet. I locked my tailwheel, got the run-up signal, the head nod , and released brakes." The pilot said that his section leader's airplane accelerated faster than his did. "[I] rolled about 1,000 feet, working my wing position on his. Then I saw something that didn't look right." The pilot said he saw the two Bearcats in front of him. "I came off power and stomped right rudder and departed the runway. I saw pieces flying all over the place." The pilot said his airplane ran over the arresting gear housing, and went into the air for a distance of 60 feet. "The left wing of the airplane struck the grass. The left wheel came down first, then the right, and then I'm back up on the runway. I had it under control. Then I saw the fire and wreckage."

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot of the F4U-4, N712RD, held an airline transport pilot certificate for single and multi-engine land airplanes, with commercial privileges for single-engine sea airplanes and private privileges for rotorcraft and glider aero tow. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, at the pilot's last flight physical, dated March 26, 1999, he reported having 8,000 total flying hours.

The pilot of the F8F-1, N14HP, held a commercial pilot certificate for single and multi-engine, instrument airplanes. The pilot reported having 13,001.7 total flying hours, and 1,420.5 hours in the F8F-1. The pilot reported completing a biennial flight review in May, 1998.

The pilot of the F4U-5, N179PT, held a commercial pilot certificate for single and multi-engine land, instrument airplanes, single-engine seaplanes, helicopters, and gliders. The pilot reported having 3,630 total flying hours, and 48 hours in the F4U-5. The pilot reported completing a biennial flight review on May 27, 1999 in the F4U-5.

All three pilots were qualified to fly formation in airshow- waivered airspace through a self-regulating program sponsored by the Warbirds of America and Formation And Safety Training, or F.A.S.T. The pilot of the F8F-1, N14HP, was also qualified as a flight leader. All three of the pilots had flown in a similar formation together on the day prior to the accident, in the same positions, as they were briefed for the flight in which the accident occurred.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The F4U-4, N712RD, was a flying, museum-quality airplane, owned and operated by Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Incorporated, Addison, Texas. The airplane was used predominately as a static display museum attraction. The airplane was also used to perform formation flying displays at airshows around the United States, which featured World War II-era airplanes. The airplane operated under a special airworthiness certificate, experimental category, for exhibition purposes. The airplane had undergone an annual condition inspection on November 12, 1998. The total airframe time at the time of the condition inspection was 2,330.5 hours. At the time of the accident, the airframe time was 2,345.5 hours.

The F8F-1, N14HP, was a flying museum-quality airplane, owned and operated by the Breckenridge Aviation Museum, Breckenridge, Texas. The airplane was used predominately as a static display museum attraction. The airplane was also used to perform formation flying displays at airshows around the United States, which featured World War II-era airplanes. The airplane operated under a special airworthiness certificate, limited category, for exhibition purposes. The airplane had undergone an annual condition inspection on August 20, 1998. The total airframe time at the time of the condition inspection was approximately 2,200 hours.

The F4U-5, N179PT, was operated by the pilot and used to perform formation flying displays at airshows around the United States, which featured World War II-era airplanes. The airplane operated under a special airworthiness certificate, experimental category, for exhibition purposes. The airplane had undergone an annual condition inspection on May 25, 1999. The total airframe time at the condition inspection was 1,345.6 hours. At the time of the accident, the total airframe time was 1,355.6 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At the time of the accident, the Automated Surface Observing/ Reporting System (ASOS) at Wittman Regional Airport reported weather conditions as clear skies, 10 miles visibility, with winds at 290 degrees magnetic at 11 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The reported temperature was 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The dew point was 74 degrees Fahrenheit, and the altimeter was 29.63 inches of Mercury (Hg).

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The airspace over Wittman Regional Airport, extending from the airport center out to a radius of 5 nautical miles, is normally classified as class "D" between the hours of 0600 cdt and 2200 cdt, and is subject to air traffic control provided by an FAA air traffic control tower facility. However, during the airshow portion of the EAA convention, the airspace converts to class "G". The air traffic control tower relinquishes...