Two tourists were struck and seriously injured Tuesday, July 21, when a gyroplane lost control and plunged to the ground at a scenic destination in western China’s Qinghai Province. The victims, both conscious after impact, sustained severe head trauma and were taken to Ulan County People’s Hospital before being moved to a larger facility in Haixi Prefecture for further care. Authorities confirmed at the time that their “vital signs are currently stable.”
The incident unfolded at the Chaka Sky No. 1 Scenic Area, where three yellow gyroplanes were conducting a formation demonstration over Chaka Salt Lake, a reflective natural feature renowned for its vivid mirror-like surface and mountain vistas. Spectators looked on as one of the aircraft began smoking from its rear, went into a spin, and veered left before slamming down on two people who could not get clear in time.
Wake Turbulence Emerges as Leading Theory
Preliminary findings suggest the downed craft may have encountered rotor downwash from one of the other gyroplanes flying nearby. This aerodynamic phenomenon, also referred to as wake turbulence, happens when swirling air thrown off by one rotor destabilizes another aircraft, leaving pilots with scant time to recover at low elevation.
The downed machine, identified as a Harbin XLI (sometimes called a Celier Xenon gyroplane), is a small rotorcraft built to accommodate two occupants. Aviation tracking account FL360aero circulated video showing smoke trailing from the craft’s rear as it flew in formation with two companions. The pilot visibly fought to regain command as the aircraft entered a spin and then dropped.
Occupants Unharmed, Rushed to Aid Victims
The pilot and passenger aboard the gyroplane walked away without injury and immediately moved to assist the two people who had been struck. Emergency personnel first transported them to Ulan County People’s Hospital, then transferred them to a larger medical center in Haixi Prefecture for ongoing treatment.
The Ulan County Joint Investigation Group confirmed the crash in a public statement and has taken custody of the Harbin XLI for examination. Officials shuttered the Chaka Sky No. 1 attraction during the investigation, with no timeline announced for either the facility’s reopening or the release of formal findings. The demonstration flight that concluded in the crash was intended to showcase the scenic experience to onlookers and potential customers.
Latest in String of Small-Aircraft Accidents at Tourist Sites
The Chaka Salt Lake collision underscores mounting concerns about recreational and sightseeing flights at low altitude in China, where close-range encounters between multiple aircraft can escalate into catastrophe with little warning. The region, which sits in Qinghai Province and attracts visitors for its reflective salt flats and surrounding peaks, had promoted gyroplane flights as a tourist draw.
A separate fatal accident last September claimed the life of Tang Feiji, a 55-year-old pilot and social media aviation personality who had accumulated roughly 100,000 followers on Chinese social media platform Douyin. Tang had been broadcasting live video from the cockpit during a flight over Jiange County in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, when his single-seat ultralight helicopter made a steep turn and nosedived. Emergency responders declared him dead at the scene due to injuries from the collision. Authorities determined he had flown without a helmet or parachute. Hundreds of his followers witnessed the incident in real time via the video stream, and comments sections filled with frantic appeals for bystanders to summon help.
Probe Continues, Area Shuttered
Investigators are now piecing together how the crash unfolded and whether wake turbulence definitively explains the loss of control. The Ulan County Joint Investigation Group oversees the official investigation seeking to identify why the gyroplane went down during flight. Chaka Sky No. 1 will stay off-limits to the public until the inquiry wraps up.
