Amateur-built RV-8 N747JG and Amateur-built RV-7 N977RV accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Probable cause

The RV-8 pilot’s failure to account for the position of the RV-7 behind him during the landing roll in a staggered landing formation, which resulted in a ground collision of the two airplanes. Contributing to the accident was the self-induced pressure created by the airshow environment to land, stop, and get off the runway into the grass as quickly as possible.

NTSB analysis

The pilots reported that they were landing at an airshow fly-in in a staggered four-airplane formation. The RV-8 was in the No. 2 position and the RV-7 was right behind it in the No. 3 position. The RV-7 bounced during the landing and the pilot lost sight of the RV-8 in front of him. The air traffic controller instructed the flight to turn left onto the grass and the RV-8 pilot later reported that he started the turn “without regarding the airplane behind” him. According to the RV-7 pilot, when the RV-8 came back into view, it was turning left directly in front of his airplane. The RV-7 pilot immediately applied the brakes and swerved hard to the right, but his left wing impacted the RV-8’s rudder, followed by the right wing and aileron. Both airplanes sustained substantial damage.

Both pilots reported that the airshow environment created pressure to land, stop, and get off the runway into the grass as quickly as possible.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA336 for the full record.