Two visitors at a scenic destination in Qinghai Province sustained serious head injuries on July 21, 2026, when a compact gyroplane lost control at low altitude and crashed directly onto them during a demonstration flight over Chaka Salt Lake. Both victims were rushed to Ulan County People’s Hospital before being transferred to a larger facility in Haixi Prefecture, where authorities said their “vital signs are currently stable.”
The Celier Xenon gyroplane, a small rotorcraft built to accommodate two or three occupants, was flying in formation with two other yellow aircraft when smoke began trailing from its rear section. Aviation tracking account FL360aero shared video showing the craft spiraling as the pilot fought to regain control, then banking sharply left before slamming into the ground and striking the tourists, who had no time to flee.
Victims Airlifted After Direct Strike
One of the two people hit suffered more severe head trauma than the other, though both remained conscious after impact. The pilot and any passengers aboard the gyroplane were unharmed and immediately moved to assist those who had been struck. The Chaka Sky No. 1 Scenic Area, where the formation flight was taking place as a promotional showcase for potential customers and onlookers, was ordered closed by authorities pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Rotor Downwash From Nearby Aircraft Under Scrutiny
Preliminary findings suggest the gyroplane may have been destabilized by rotor downwash—also known as wake turbulence—created by one of the other rotorcraft in the three-aircraft formation. This aerodynamic phenomenon happens when spiraling air displaced by a rotor disturbs a nearby aircraft, a hazard particularly dangerous for smaller craft operating at low altitude where recovery time is nearly nonexistent. Early indications suggest a neighboring rotorcraft’s wake turbulence as a possible cause, though no formal cause has been declared.
The Ulan County Joint Investigation Group issued a public statement confirming the accident and has seized the downed aircraft for examination. No reopening date for the scenic area has been announced, nor has a timeline been given for releasing final conclusions from the probe.
Second Fatal Low-Altitude Incident in Recent Months
The accident highlights mounting safety concerns around low-altitude recreational flying at tourist destinations across China, where close-proximity operations between multiple aircraft can escalate into catastrophe within seconds. Chaka Salt Lake, a reflective natural landmark in Qinghai Province known for its mirror-like surface and surrounding mountain vistas, had been marketing gyroplane rides as a scenic attraction.
This crash follows another deadly small-aircraft accident involving entertainment flying in China. Last September, a 55-year-old aviation influencer named Tang Feiji, who had accumulated roughly 100,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese social media platform, broadcast his final moments while piloting above Jiange County in Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, as his one-person ultralight aircraft executed a steep turn and plunged into the ground. Tang died on impact. Investigators determined he was not wearing a helmet or parachute during the flight. Hundreds of fans watching the livestream witnessed the crash and flooded the chat with frantic requests for someone to summon emergency services.
Technical Review Underway as Tourist Site Stays Shut
Officials are now working to reconstruct the full sequence of events that led to the gyroplane’s loss of control mid-flight and are evaluating whether the wake turbulence hypothesis holds up under technical analysis. The scenic spot remains off-limits to the public while the investigation proceeds.