Custom Aerotech WHITE LIGHTNING N7147W

Summary

On 26 July 1990 at about 00:55 local time, a Custom Aerotech WHITE LIGHTNING registered N7147W was involved in an accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 July 1990 at 00:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Wittman Field (OSH)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Custom Aerotech WHITE LIGHTNING

Registration

N7147W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Paxton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI90FA197

2 people died.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED TO AVOID LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HIGH PERFORMANCE AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE ON DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 27. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT ENTER A MANEUVER TO EXTEND/MAINTAIN SEPARATION FROM AIRCRAFT IT WAS FOLLOWING. DURING THIS MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO DEPART CONTROLLED FLIGHT, ENTER A SPIN, AND IMPACT A LAKE. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND HAD APPROXIMATELY 50 HOURS TOTAL TIME IN THIS AIRCRAFT. HE HAD TOLD WITNESSES PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO HAVE TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT IN A SLOW FLIGHT REGIME.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.