NTSB: Rule Violation Contributed to Fatal Midair Collision at EAA AirVenture

Investigators concluded that a gyroplane violated event rules by making a prohibited 360-degree turn before colliding with a helicopter.

Monday, May 20, 2024 at 04:45 PM ET

Verified

Flight tracks of the helicopter (red) and gyroplane (yellow) involved in a 2023 midair in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. [Courtesy: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB concluded that a fatal midair collision at last year's EAA AirVenture was caused by a gyroplane violating event rules by performing a prohibited 360-degree turn.
The gyroplane collided with a helicopter while both aircraft were on the base leg of the traffic pattern at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH).
Both pilots had attended a briefing where such 360-degree turns were explicitly prohibited for gyroplanes.
The helicopter's pilot and passenger died in the collision, while the gyroplane's pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, with no mechanical issues or pilot impairment found.

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its final report on last year’s fatal midair collision at EAA AirVenture, concluding that the crash occurred when a gyroplane violated event rules by making a prohibited 360-degree turn and collided with a helicopter.

According to the NTSB report, both pilots attended a rotorcraft briefing, where event coordinators told gyroplane pilots to stop performing 360-degree turns and spirals while in the traffic pattern for Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Amelia Walsh

Amelia Walsh is a private pilot who enjoys flying her family’s Columbia 350. She is based in Colorado and loves all things outdoors including skiing, hiking, and camping.