One strike and you’re out. This rule is among the procedural changes for EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in response to a deadly midair collision between a helicopter and gyrocopter last year.
The aircraft were flying in the pattern of the Fun Fly Zone (FFZ), which is located in the Ultralight area.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the accident occurred when the gyroplane pilot violated established and briefed FFZ procedures by making a prohibited 360-degree turn in the pattern before colliding with the helicopter.
The pilot and passenger of the helicopter were killed and the pilot and passenger of the gyrocopter were seriously injured. No one on the ground was injured, however, an unoccupied aircraft was destroyed when the gyroplane came down on top of it.
According to the NTSB final report (below) on the accident, in addition to the one-strike rule, the EAA has adopted the following changes to prevent future mishaps:
- Standardized briefing for all types of FFZ operations
- Standardized traffic pattern for all types of FFZ operations with exception of the powered-parachutes group due to speed performance
- Standardized aircraft spotter locations for all types of FFZ operations
- Designated sterile corridor for traffic on base leg over the north/south paved road
The NTSB’s final report is below.
