Investigators have released a preliminary report into a mid-air collision between a helicopter and a gyroplane near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, that killed two people and seriously injured two others.
An amateur-built RotorWay 162F helicopter and an ELA Eclipse 10 gyroplane collided at 12:27 p.m. local time on July 29, according to the U.S National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Both aircraft were attending the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in.
The gyroplane was approaching the EAA ultralight/homebuilt rotorcraft runway from the south on the base leg when it executed a left 360-degree turn, the NTSB reported, citing multiple videos and eyewitness accounts.
The helicopter was positioned behind the gyroplane in the traffic pattern and was also approaching the runway on the base leg from the south, following the north/south paved road, the NTSB said.
At about 250 feet above ground level, the gyroplane “impacted the left side of the helicopter,” the NTSB said.
Debris separated from both aircraft as they fell to the ground. The helicopter impacted the ground and came to rest inverted, the NTSB said. A post-crash fire ignited.
The gyroplane crashed into an unoccupied fixed-wing airplane that was parked between the north/south paved road and runway 36L, the NTSB said. No injuries were reported among people on the ground.
A post-accident examination revealed both outboard sections of the helicopter’s main rotor blades were separated and came to rest in the debris field, the NTSB said.
“The main rotor blade’s structure displayed impact marks and white paint transfers, consistent with the gyroplane’s structure and paint color,” the agency added in its preliminary report.
“The gyroplane’s right horizontal and vertical stabilizers displayed shear cuts and separated structure consistent with helicopter main rotor blade contact.”
The gyroplane’s main rotor mast also separated about mid-length, “with an impact signature consistent with the helicopter’s main rotor blade,” the NTSB said.
“Examination of both aircraft revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.”
The pilot and one passenger in the helicopter died in the incident. The two occupants of the gyroplane — the pilot and one passenger — suffered serious injuries. Both aircraft were destroyed.
