Gary Rosier
A Piper Malibu with five aboard crashed next to the runway at Wittman Regional Airport at around 8 o’clock local time this morning, sending up a plume of black smoke and closing the airspace over Oshkosh for about three hours.
Four of those on board were able to get out of the airplane on their own and one was airlifted by medevac helicopter. All five were transported to a local hospital, according to officials. The FAA said one person on the ground was injured as well.
Eyewitnesses said the Malibu was turning on short final for Runway 27 at low altitude when the crash occurred. The wreckage was mostly intact minus the right wing, with fire damage contained to the crumpled nose as firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.
The airplane involved in the crash, N4BP, is a 1984 Piper PA-46-310P Malibu piston single registered to a Chicago real estate holding company.
Officials from the FAA and NTSB are on scene investigating. Arriving aircraft were diverted to other local area airports while Wittman Regional was closed. The crash is not expected to affect tonight’s night airshow, EAA said.
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