WINNEBAGO COUNTY, Wis. (WKRG) – Two separate airplane crashes occurred around Wittman Regional Airport resulting in the deaths of four people and leaving two injured on Saturday.
The first plane crashed into Lake Winnebago around 9 a.m., and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls shortly after. WCSO sent its marine units and had the help of the Oshkosh Fire Department, Winneconne Fire Department, Neenah Menasha Fire Rescue, Calumet County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin DNR, U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
The T-6 Texan plane held two passengers who both died in the crash. They were identified as Devyn Reilly, 30, and Zach Colliemoreno, 20.
WCSO is continuing to work on the investigation with EAA, the NTSB and the FAA.
Another crash occurred at the south end of the EAA AirVenture flight line at Wittman Regional Airport, but this time it was mid-air involving two aircraft.
Two were killed in this crash including the pilot, Mark Peterson, 69, of Foley, Ala., and passenger Thomas Volz, age 72. The two other individuals involved in the crash were transported to a local hospital and are in stable condition.
The second crash included a Rotorway 162F helicopter and an ELA 10 Eclipse gyrocopter, which were not a part of the air show, according to the NTSB.
The airshow was delayed due to the initial investigation but later began at 2:45 p.m.