NTSB Factual Report

On July 27, 2001, at 1453 central daylight time, a Boeing 727-2Q6, N782AT, piloted by an airline transport pilot and operated by American Trans Air (ATA) as AMTRAN flight 7991, maneuvered abruptly left during takeoff roll on runway 9 (6,178 feet by 150 feet, dry concrete) at Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to avoid a Smith Lancair 360, N163DS that was taxiing for takeoff west on runway 9. The Boeing 727-2Q6 subsequently aborted the takeoff and taxied to the terminal ramp. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. The Boeing 727-2Q6 was conducting a ferry flight on an instrument flight rules plan under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 121, from OSH to Chicago Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois. The Lancair 360 was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The captain, first officer, and flight engineer on the Boeing 727-2Q6 reported no injuries. The private pilot of the Lancair reported no injuries. The Boeing 727-2Q6 flight was originating at the time of the incident.

The captain on the Boeing 727-2Q6 said, "We just set takeoff rated thrust, max thrust. You need it to get out of here. At 80, 90, to 100 knots, I saw him (N163DS) down runway 9. I executed the abort. I maneuvered left. He was fully on the pavement going west. We exited on [taxiway] Bravo, and taxied to the ramp." The captain said, "We didn't hit anything. I was sure we were going to. There was no damage to the aircraft." The captain said they were in contact with OSH air traffic control tower the whole time. "We were cleared to back taxi down [runway] 9. We were cleared for takeoff. We were told to expedite. There was a T-34 flight on final, 3 miles out. I turned [the airplane] and rolled."

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, parked in a van south of runway 9-27 to observe Warbird departures, saw a blue and white Lancair taxiing quickly westbound on the south side of runway 9. The inspector said, "We then observed ATA (a 727) rolling for takeoff. The 727 then appeared to swerve left slightly, but the Lancair just stayed on the edge of the runway rolled to the end, then departed on runway 9 after the ATA aborted the takeoff and left the runway."

The air traffic manager for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) airshow said they saw the Lancair 360 from the tower. "He went down [the runway], [off] into the grass, past AMTRAN (Boeing 727-2Q6), [then] back on the runway." The air traffic manager said the Lancair 360 was parked near mid-field for runway 9-27 in the grass with his engine shutdown. "He talked to a guy at flight ops about how to get out." The air traffic manager said the EAA flight operations flag person told the Lancair pilot to taxi in the grass around the T-6's that were taxiing out for the airshow, head west around the south end of the runway to the departure point. The air traffic manager said that they did not talk to the Lancair 360 pilot until after the incident occurred and he was at the end of runway 9. "He talked to I. M. (Iterant Mobile - ground marshaller on the field). We cleared him for takeoff to get him out of here."

The pilot of the Lancair 360 said that he was taxiing to runway 9 following the "flags man" (ground marshaller) signals. The pilot said, "Coming up to the final flagman I rode the right brake and it locked up and spun me in a 180 degree and ended up facing away from the runway." The pilot said he shut down the engine and waited for the brake to release. He said, "The flagman informed me that if I still wanted to depart that I could do so by taxiing quickly down the runway and get in front of the air show traffic. There was so much noise and commotion on the runway I failed to recognize the 727 who were back taxiing." The pilot said, "After spotting the 727 on the runway, I hugged the left side of the runway, giving him as much room as possible" The pilot said he was monitoring the runway frequency and didn't hear anything.

The EAA flag person said that he was positioned at the intersection of runways 9-27 and 13-31. He said that his job was to direct arrivals exiting runway 9, either back westbound in the grass taxiway for camping and parking or up runway 13 toward the show line, depending on their destination. The EAA flag person said, "I also was directing any departing aircraft that taxied down runway 31, onto the grass taxiway toward the departure end of runway 9." The EAA flag person said that at approximately 1445, a Lancair approached him on runway 31. He said that as the Lancair neared his position, the pilot turned the airplane 180 degrees and shut down the engine. "As I approached his aircraft, the pilot raised his canopy and stated he had a hot brake and wanted to cool it off. I pointed out that the field would be closing at 1500 and he would be unable to depart until after the air show, if he waited too long." The flag person said he suggested to the pilot that if he could, continue taxiing for departure. "I then explained that I wanted him to taxi in the grass, in front of the warbirds waiting for takeoff. I coordinated by radio with the EAA flag person at the departure point that no aircraft were intending to taxi eastbound in the grass and it would be clear for the Lancair. The pilot agreed to my suggestion and restarted his engine. He turned 180 degrees to face me and I motioned him to come toward me, followed by signals to bear left onto the grass taxiway. The Lancair started his left turn, clearing my body, but before reaching the grass, straightened out and taxied the last 30 feet of rwy (runway) 31 and turned westbound on the edge of rwy 9. A B-727 that had back-taxied earlier, was lined up for an immediate takeoff on runway 9, his lights on. I broadcast[ed] an 'alert, alert, alert, that there was an aircraft on runway 9' on the Flightline Ops (Operations) network, knowing that the tower cab monitored our frequency. The 727 started his takeoff roll, but the Lancair continued taxiing along the edge of the runway. The 727 then went into reverse thrust and under heavy braking, moved to his left on the runway so as to clear the Lancair. His wingtip passed over the Lancair, but no contact was made. The 727 exited the runway at B1 taxiway and the Lancair continued to the departure end of rwy 9 where he finally exited into the grass and turned around for clearance for takeoff."

The National Transportation Safety Board on scene investigation began at 1453. The Boeing 727-2Q6 was parked on the ramp south of the OSH passenger terminal building. An examination of the airplane revealed no damage. The owner and the pilot of the Lancair 360 reported no damage to the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

The unsafe condition caused when the pilot of the other airplane taxied onto the runway. Factors relating to this accident were the pilot of the other airplane not following the instructions given him by the ground marshaller, his wrong taxi route, and him not obtaining clearance to taxi onto the active runway.