A mid-air collision between two aircraft at the EAA AirVenture event resulted in the death of two individuals and left two others injured on Saturday afternoon. The injured parties were promptly transported to a nearby hospital where they are currently reported to be in stable condition.

The incident, which occurred at 12:24 p.m. at the southern end of the EAA AirVenture flightline at Wittman Regional Airport, involved a Rotorway 162F helicopter and an ELA Eclipse 10 gyrocopter. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that both aircraft were owned by event attendees and were not part of the air show.

The NTSB has taken charge of the investigation to determine the exact cause of the collision. “The investigation will consider various factors including the prevailing conditions, the pilots’ experience with these aircraft, and the air traffic in the area at the time of the incident,” said Dick Knapinski, EAA’s director of communications.

Following the collision, both aircraft crashed to the ground, with the gyrocopter landing on a parked plane. The Oshkosh Fire Department, along with several other emergency vehicles and U.S. Air Force firefighters, responded to the scene. They successfully extinguished a fire that had ignited from the helicopter.

The incident led to a temporary suspension of aircraft operations at the airport for approximately two hours. However, the afternoon air show resumed shortly after 2:30 p.m. Personnel from EAA, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, and the Oshkosh Fire Department were among the first responders at the scene.

“It’s always tragic when an aircraft accident occurs because we are all aviators and we enjoy being together here at Oshkosh,” Knapinski expressed. This collision occurred just hours after another plane crashed into Lake Winnebago, resulting in two fatalities. In the past week, the area has witnessed five crashes, all believed to be related to EAA. The three prior crashes, however, did not result in any serious injuries.