Erie Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erie, Colorado 80516
Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was making his second attempt to land his home-built, experimental helicopter when during the descent he failed to put in enough aft collective and impacted onto the ramp. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the helicopter was substantially damaged. A representative from the company that made the helicopter kit was witness to the accident. The witness said that he had flown the helicopter the day before and on the morning of the accident flight. The witness said that this was the owner/builder/pilot's first flight in the helicopter. He said that the start up was normal and that everything looked good up to the time the pilot lifted off into a hover. The witness said he could see the pilot over-controlling the helicopter. The witness said that when he had flown the helicopter, everything worked just fine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in the helicopter impacting onto the airport ramp. A contributing factor to the accident was the pilot's failure to establish the landing flare in time.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/21/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Erie
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80516
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400037N
Event Location Longitude 1050253W
Event Location Airport Erie Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EIK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22022
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Northwest Mountain Region
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2007 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15XH
NTSB Number DEN07CA102
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Eagle RND
Aircraft Model Helicycle
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 03-070
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Raymond J. lynch
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Northglenn
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code EIK
Departure City Erie
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code EIK
Destination City Erie
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 1:16PM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --