Amateur-built American Ranger AR-1 accident near Denver, Colorado, December 16, 2025
On December 16, 2025 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 2017 amateur-built American Ranger AR-1 (gyroplane), registered N529MW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Denver, Colorado (Colorado Air And Space Port Ai airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain rotor RPM and maintain proper rotor disc angle during takeoff which resulted in a rotor strike with the rudder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2025 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Colorado Air And Space Port Ai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built American Ranger AR-1, built 2017
- Registration
- N529MW · registry record · serial 0014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that it was a very windy day with winds above 20 mph and gusts to 30 mph when he attempted a takeoff in his gyroplane. He stated that during the takeoff roll with the pre-rotor engaged to 130 to140 RPM, he gently eased back on the cyclic and a gust of wind caught the rotors. He felt the rotor flap and then a bump. He immediately arrested the rotor flap and then continued the takeoff roll. When the gyroplane became airborne, he realized there was less rudder authority and returned to land at the departure airport without further incident. After landing, the pilot noticed that rudder had been damaged due to a rotor strike, which likely occurred when the rotor flapped during takeoff, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot stated that he should have had the rotors pre-rotated to 160 RPM or greater prior to pulling back on the cyclic, and there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 2, 2025
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 389 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 2, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914 (piston); 389 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 8,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 am from CFO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Meteorology | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.