20251216019779A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Mark O Treidel AR-1 · Watkins, CO · December 16, 2025

Date: December 16, 2025 · 10:45 local
Place: Watkins, CO
Airport: Colorado Air And Space Port
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N529MW
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN26LA067
Reported as: Mark O Treidel AR-1
Reported engine: ROTAX 914UL
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total1,200 in this make and model

N529MWRegistered now · Mark O Treidel AR-1S/N 0014 · Built 2017 Airframe modelMark O Treidel AR-1 Engine modelRotax 914UL4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On 12/16/2005 at 1045 MDT an experimental gyrocopter leaving Colorado Air And Space Port experienced a gust of wind causing the main rotor to contact the rudder causing unknown substantial damage. Pilot went around pattern landed after feeling rudder effectiveness was compromised. Aircraft landed with no problem. Weather at the time VMC with METAR showing no wind gusts.

As the FAA filed it

ON 12/16/2005 AT 1045 MDT AN EXPERIMENTAL GYROCOPTER LEAVING COLORADO AIR AND SPACE PORT EXPERIENCED A GUST OF WIND CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO CONTACT THE RUDDER CAUSING UNKNOWN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT WENT AROUND PATTERN LANDED AFTER FEELING RUDDER EFFECTIVENESS WAS COMPROMISED. AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH NO PROBLEM. WEATHER AT THE TIME VMC WITH METAR SHOWING NO WIND GUSTS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN26LA067Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportDenver, COThe pilot’s failure to attain rotor RPM and maintain proper rotor disc angle during takeoff which resulted in a rotor strike with the rudder.Dec 16, 2025 · Substantial damage