Tragedy struck in Wisconsin on Saturday, July 29, as two separate plane crashes left a total of four people dead and two injured, according to a report by US News & World Report. The crashes occurred just hours apart and in different locations in the state.
The first crash occurred around 12:24 p.m. on July 29, when two aircraft collided mid-air at the south end of the EAA AirVenture flightline at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. The crash involved a single-engine North American T-6 and a Rans S-7 Courier, according to a report by Yahoo News. The collision resulted in the deaths of two people, while two others were injured and taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The second crash occurred just hours later, around 6:30 p.m., when a Rotorway 162F helicopter and an ELA Eclipse 10 gyrocopter collided at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, according to a report by NPR News. The crash resulted in the deaths of two people.
The identities of the victims have not been released, and the cause of both crashes is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The tragic accidents have shaken Wisconsin’s aviation community and the country. EAA AirVenture, the world’s largest aviation event, draws thousands of pilots and aviation enthusiasts from around the world to Oshkosh each year. The event, which was taking place at the time of the crashes, continued as scheduled, but with a somber tone as attendees mourned the loss of their fellow aviators.
In a statement, EAA Chairman Jack Pelton expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and praised the quick response of emergency responders.