Tragedy struck at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in and convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as a midair collision between a helicopter and a gyrocopter claimed the lives of two individuals and left two others injured. The incident occurred while the airshow was in full swing, adding a somber note to the event. Earlier in the day, two more fatalities were reported when a single-engine plane crashed into Lake Winnebago. The series of accidents has left the aviation community and local authorities in shock.
The first crash took place around 9 a.m. when a single-engine North American T-6 Texan aircraft departed Wittman Regional Airport and plunged into Lake Winnebago, which was not part of the airshow site. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) claims that the plane had been maneuvering before rapidly descending from an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet. Multiple agencies, including the Winnebago County Marine Units, the Calumet County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Coast Guard, swiftly responded to the crash site.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., a mid-air collision occurred at Wittman Regional Airport. The FAA reported that a Rotorway 162F helicopter and an ELA Eclipse 10 gyrocopter were involved in the incident. Tragically, two individuals lost their lives in the collision, and their identities have not yet been released.
The EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in and convention is one of the largest aviation events in the world, attracting thousands of aviation enthusiasts each year. After the crash took place, the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh organizers confirmed that the two injured individuals were taken to a hospital and are now in stable condition.
Authorities are working diligently to investigate the causes of both accidents. The FAA will conduct a thorough examination to determine the factors that led to the midair collision. They will also be looking into the circumstances surrounding the plane crash into Lake Winnebago. The aviation community and attendees of the airshow are grappling with the shock and sadness brought on by these tragic events.