Malibu accident temporarily closes AirVenture airport

A Piper PA-46 Malibu crashed on Runway 27 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, while arriving at EAA AirVenture just before 8 a.m. Central time July 22, according to Experimental Aircraft Association spokesman Dick Knapinski.

Kenneth J. Kaminski, 46, of Benton Harbor, Michigan, was flying the six-seat aircraft. Passengers were Gerald T. Kaminski, Margaret C. Laing, Nathan P. Gargano, and Neil F. Dill, according to EAA.

Knapinski said four of the five on board exited the airplane under their own power. Smoke could be seen coming from the accident site, but Knapinski said he was not sure of the extent of the fire. The Oshkosh Fire Department responded to the accident within one minute, he said, to put out the flames, extract the remaining occupant, and aid those who had exited the aircraft. The occupant who was extracted was taken to a hospital by helicopter, Knapinski said. The four others were transported to local hospitals, he added, perhaps as a precaution since they were able to get out of the Malibu under their own power.

The NTSB, which was already on the field to participate in EAA AirVenture, is investigating the accident.

The accident temporarily closed Wittman Regional Airport, but Knapinski said the parallel north/south runways opened about 10:30 a.m. Central time and that Runway 9/27 opened about 45 minutes after that.