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MENTONE - Two men were seriously injured Friday at the Rotorcraft Convention Fly-In.
According to Detective Sgt. Tom Brindle of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, the gyroplane in which the two men were flying rolled to one side and impacted the ground at a 30-degree angle. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, Brindle said Friday.
"Witnesses said the rotor was turning when the plane impacted the ground, because it catapulted the craft over onto the ground," he said.
Silas F. Smith Jr., 43, of Cedar Lake, and James Bodie, age unknown, of Aiken, S.C., were were transported by Samaritan helicopter to Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Both men were suffering from multiple fractures and bruises. Smith was reported to be in serious condition and Bodie in critical condition at the time of transport. As of press time, Parkview officials refused to release any further information on either man's condition until notification of their next of kin could be made.
According to Brindle, Smith was a licensed instructor, but it was not immediately know if he was piloting the craft and Bodie was merely a passenger, or if Bodie was in control, while Smith was giving instruction.
A gyroplane is an aircraft with a conventional propeller for forward motion and a horizontal rotor, rotated by airflow, for lift.
The National Transportation Safety Board will have investigators in Mentone on Monday to try and determine the cause.
The Rotorcraft Convention is an annual event in Mentone, and features tours of the Bell Aircraft Museum, forums and seminars, a flea marker and other competitions, in addition to the fly-in.
