SA man dead in Central Victorian gyrocopter crash
An aero-adventure between two mates to kickstart their morning has ended in tragedy after their gyrocopter crashed, killing the South Australian pilot.
National
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An aero-adventure between two mates to kickstart Sunday morning has ended in tragedy after their gyrocopter crashed in central Victoria, leaving one dead.
The tragedy unfolded about 7.15am as the pair travelled through Goulburn Weir, just north of Nagambie, when the light aircraft crash-landed into a paddock along Snipey Rd.
A gyrocopter – typically fitted with an open cockpit that seats two – operates without an engine turning the main rotor, instead relying on the rotor to self-propel by airflow.
Witnesses who saw the airborne gyrocopter during its morning flight said the aircraft appeared to be moving “very slowly” before it crashed.
Victoria Police Acting Inspector Darron Huff confirmed the two men, a pilot and his passenger, set off from a nearby local airway a short time earlier.
“It wasn’t a business thing, I believe it was personal flight and they were known to each other,” he said while addressing media near the crash site.
Up to eight emergency crews raced to the Sniper Rd property where they treated the passenger, a man in his 70s, for non-life-threatening injuries.
The pilot, a 50-year-old man from South Australia, died at the scene.
“I believe (the passenger) has got some internal injuries, he’s been airlifted to hospital at Melbourne but at this stage, the assessment was serious injuries but stable,” Acting Inspector Huff said.
“It’s a tragic end to a Sunday morning, people just going about their leisure activities and unfortunately one of them won’t be returning home and the other has a battle in front of them.
Acting Inspector Huff described the wreckage as “confronting” for local CFA crew members who were first on-scene.
“I’ve been a police officer in rural Victoria for some time and this is the first incident that I have had to attend of this nature, I’m not aware of this bigger issue.”
Police believed that Sunday’s weather conditions did not contribute to the crash, he said.
President of the Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association (ASRA) Rick Elliot told the Herald Sun the team would assist police with their investigation.
“We’re sending a team, not to the accident site, but we’re going to be investigating the wreckage tomorrow, wherever they take it. We will provide any technical assistance they need,” he said.
“It was one of our members, regardless it’s just tragic and everyone needs time to grieve.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV, dashcam footage or any other information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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