Accident Witness

There I was, on my last day at EAAs 2016 AirVenture extravaganza in Oshkosh, Wis. It had been a great week, with a full Oshkosh experience, including camping in the rain, spending some money and catching up with old friends. The airplane was loaded and preflighted, the door was closed and I was strapped in. Id gotten the departure flick from the ATIS and from watching airplanes depart Runway 36L, the threshold for which was about 200 yards east and south of me. I was ready to power things back up, start the engine and get outta Dodge.

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Monday, August 22, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

While departing EAA AirVenture, the author witnessed a small taildragger aircraft stall and spin into the ground from approximately 50 feet above the runway.
Emergency services quickly responded to the crash, leading to a temporary airport closure and subsequent operational delays for departing aircraft.
An official FAA report later described the incident as merely the aircraft exiting the runway during takeoff with landing gear damage and no injuries, conflicting significantly with the author's direct observation of a stall and spin.
The author reflects on the rare experience of witnessing an accident and speculates on potential causes, such as a high flare on landing or engine failure during takeoff.

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There I was, on my last day at EAA’s 2016 AirVenture extravaganza in Oshkosh, Wis. It had been a great week, with a full Oshkosh “experience,” including camping in the rain, spending some money and catching up with old friends. The airplane was loaded and preflighted, the door was closed and I was strapped in. I’d gotten the departure flick from the ATIS and from watching airplanes depart Runway 36L, the threshold for which was about 200 yards east and south of me. I was ready to power things back up, start the engine and get outta Dodge.