Two individuals died and two others have been injured after a helicopter and a gyrocopter collided in midair on Saturday at a Wisconsin airport that was internet hosting an air present, the authorities mentioned.
The collision occurred round midday at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., the place the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture present was being held, showcasing aerobatic shows and plane from totally different eras in a weeklong occasion.
Dick Knapinski, a spokesman for the affiliation, mentioned in an announcement that the victims have been attendees of the present and that their plane — a Rotorway 162F helicopter and an ELA 10 Eclipse gyrocopter — have been “not involved in the air show.”
The identities of the victims weren’t launched by officers on Saturday. Mr. Knapinski mentioned he was unsure whether or not each of the individuals who died had been flying in the identical plane.
The collision didn’t happen in the course of the air present, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board mentioned.
The two individuals who have been injured have been taken to a hospital and have been in steady situation on Saturday night, in line with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office.
It was not instantly clear what might have led to the collision.
The N.T.S.B. mentioned an investigator was on the scene Saturday to look at the plane, accumulate air visitors communications and interview witnesses.
The ELA 10 Eclipse gyrocopter — which appears like a small helicopter and flies at sluggish speeds — is described by its producer as an “exclusive gyrocopter, with refined lines, high performance.”
The Rotorway 162F helicopter was described in 2019 by AVWeb, an aviation news outlet, as a small kit-built plane that prices $60,000.
The AirVenture present sometimes attracts about 500,000 guests every summer season to Wittman Regional Airport, which turns into a hub for plane and aviation fans who journey from about 80 international locations to see greater than 10,000 plane, together with amateur-built, ultralight and classic army planes.
Source: www.nytimes.com