Vans Aircraft INC RV-7 accident near Boulder, Colorado, April 10, 2021
On April 10, 2021 at about 2:58 am local time, a 2001 Vans Aircraft INC RV-7, registered N137RV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Boulder, Colorado. It was a business 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
a bird strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2021 · about 2:58 am local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft INC RV-7, built 2001
- Registration
- N137RV · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the flight was one leg of a trip to the Sun 'n Fun aviation event in Florida, at which he would be working in the manufacturer’s company booth. The intended destination was Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC), Broomfield, Colorado. The flight to the eastern Rocky Mountain area was uneventful, and the airplane was in cruise at 13,500 feet for terrain clearance. Shortly after beginning the descent the pilot reported hearing and feeling a loud impact sound and rushing air, immediately followed by a violent and sudden ripping apart of the plexiglass canopy. The pilot reported his headset and glasses were blown off. The pilot reported he initially had difficulty controlling the airplane and reading the instruments, but regained control and successfully made an emergency landing at Boulder Airport (KBDU). Initial inspection of the damage to the canopy indicated a small half-round hole in the side of the canopy. Initially, it was suspected that the damage was possibly caused by a hard body object such as a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS/drone). However, further examination indicated the hole was consistent with the headset cable location as it was blown free, and no foreign material was found in the airplane. Although no foreign biological material was found, the location and altitude of the event was over remote mountainous terrain, indicating the collision was more likely a bird.
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
- Birdstrike during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,650 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 19, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,528 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Vans Aircraft Inc
The flight
- Departed from: KMAN Nampa ID at 11:00 pm
- Destination: KBJC Boulder CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Observation at 8:00 pm from KBJC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA21LA120.