SilverLight American Ranger AR-1, N529MW, accident occurred on December 16, 2025, at Colorado Air and Space Port (CFO/KCFO), Denver, Colorado

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N529MW

- History of Flight:
On December 16, 2025, at about 1050 local time, a privately-registered SilverLight American Ranger AR-1 gyroplane, N529MW, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident at Colorado Air and Space Port (CFO/KCFO), Denver, Colorado. The sole pilot onboard was not injured. The local flight originated from KCFO.

According to the FAA: "Aircraft on takeoff and the main rotor struck the rudder." According to ADS-B data, the gyro was departing runway 26 when the event occurred. It entered a climbing left turn to an altitude of 6,175 ft and circled south of the airport before returning. The data cuts short as the gyro was on approach to the same runway.

Figure 1: ADS-B data

The airport field elevation was 5515.2 ft. Runway 8/26 is asphalt 8002 x 100 ft. long.

Winds at the time were from 240 at 10 knots, temperature: 15 °C, dewpoint: -7 °C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury.

- Additional Information:

Two similar accidents were discovered after a review of the NTSB accident data involving the gyroplane type. ERA22LA269 and GAA20CA044, here is the analysis and probable cause from those events:

ERA22LA269

The pilot said the traffic pattern was busy, so he began the pre-rotation process as he taxied the gyroplane onto the runway to depart. At that time, the rotor disk rpm was at 140 rpm, which was 20 rpm above the recommended takeoff speed. The pilot said he slowly applied power because he had a passenger onboard, which may have allowed time for the disk speed to decay and become susceptible to blade flap. During the takeoff roll, the gyroplane's main rotor blades struck and severed the tail assembly, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to monitor rotor disk speed on takeoff, which resulted in blade flapping and the main rotor blades striking the gyroplane's tail assembly.

GAA20CA044

The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll, the gyroplane's rotor "flapped" and struck the rudder. He aborted the takeoff and taxied to the ramp without further incident. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that if he had aborted the takeoff at the first indication of a problem the accident could have been avoided.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to attain the proper rotor speed before takeoff, which resulted in the rotor blade striking the rudder. A Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner.

According to the FAA Rotorcraft Flying Handbook:

BLADE FLAP

On a gyroplane with a semi-rigid, teeter-head rotor system, blade flap may develop if too much airflow passes through the rotor system while it is operating at low r.p.m. This is most often the result of taxiing too fast for a given rotor speed. Unequal lift acting on the advancing and retreating blades can cause the blades to teeter to the maximum allowed by the rotor head design. The blades then hit the teeter stops, creating a vibration that may be felt in the cyclic control. The frequency of the vibration corresponds to the speed of the rotor, with the blades hitting the stops twice during each revolution. If the flapping is not controlled, the situation can grow worse as the blades begin to flex and bend. Because the system is operating at low r.p.m., there is not enough centrifugal force acting on the blades to keep them rigid. The shock of hitting the teeter stops combined with uneven lift along the length of the blade causes an undulation to begin, which can increase in severity if allowed to progress. In extreme cases, a rotor blade may strike the ground or propeller.

- Weather:

METAR KCFO 161647Z 22008KT 10SM CLR 13/M08 A2999=

METAR KCFO 161747Z 24010KT 10SM CLR 15/M07 A2998=

METAR KCFO 161847Z 27011KT 10SM CLR 19/M09 A2997=