# Accident 20251216019779A: Mark O Treidel AR-1, Watkins, CO, December 16, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 16, 2025, 10:45 local time
- Place: Watkins, CO
- Airport: Colorado Air And Space Port
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.7842° N, 104.5376° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7842&lon=-104.5376&mi=10
- Aircraft: N529MW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N529MW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mark O Treidel AR-1 (registry code 056358L, https://openairdocs.org/model/mark-o-treidel-ar-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 914UL (registry code 55553, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914ul) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MARK O TREIDEL AR-1
- Reported engine: ROTAX 914UL
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Sport pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 1,200 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN26LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA067) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251216019779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN26LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA067), Dec 16, 2025: Mark O Treidel American Ranger AR-1 (N529MW), Denver, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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