Amateur-built CALIDUS accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, January 6, 2015
On January 6, 2015 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built CALIDUS (gyroplane), registered N50NE, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Grand Junction, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain that was along the planned route of flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2015 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Junction, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CALIDUS, built 2014
- Registration
- N50NE · no longer on the register · serial C00240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during a flight to the destination airport, the gyrocopter was in a slow climb at about 60 knots due to higher terrain that he knew was approaching along the route. As the gyrocopter approached a ridge, the pilot noticed that more altitude was needed, so he turned left of course along the ridge while continuing the climb, expecting to turn right at an area that he saw had lower terrain. The pilot said that things were still going well, but the climb rate had decreased somewhat. As the gyrocopter approached the area of lower terrain, the gyrocopter started to descend quickly with a best rate of climb speed of 52 knots. The gyrocopter descended lower than the surrounding trees and "brushed" the tree tops, tipping the gyrocopter forward and to the right. The pilot saw a small clearing and applied corrective control input to maintain an upright attitude of the gyrocopter and to reach the clearing. Just before entering the clearing, the gyrocopter contacted oak brush with its rotor blades, which sustained substantial damage. The gyrocopter landed in the clearing and slid with minimal forward speed to a stop. The aircraft fuselage had a fractured nose and collapsed nose gear. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated that if he had turned right at the approach of the ridge where the terrain was lower, he could have gone around the south end of the ridge. He said he should have expected a down draft on the lee side of the ridge and could also have executed an escape route earlier by turning away from the ridge before the area of down flowing air.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Attempted remediation/recovery during enroute (change of cruise level)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (change of cruise level)
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 3,691 hours in all; 417 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,151 as pilot in command; 2,339 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 151.3 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,235 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 151 hours total
- Operator: Airgyro Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MTJ Montrose CO at 10:00 pm
- Destination: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from GJT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N50NE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.