- Date
- March 29, 2026, 12:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Boulder, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N510EAEla ELA10
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20260329003459A
- Case key
- 202723
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after an uneventful landing he applied full power to initiate a touch-and-go on runway 26. During the takeoff portion of the maneuver, the gyroplane began to drift to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the drift; however, each time the nosewheel lifted off the runway, the gyroplane continued to drift to the left. As the gyroplane continued to drift towards the runway edge, the pilot attempted to rotate the gyroplane to take off. The gyroplane tipped to the left and impacted the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the mast and empennage. Wind at the time of the accident was 280° at 10 knots gusting to 19 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N510EA
- Reported as
- Ela ELA10 (ECLIPSE)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 10165111014
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 274.5
- Engine
- Rotax 914 UL 2-01, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 1, 2025
- Departed
- BJC · Broomfield, CO
- Destination
- BDU · Boulder, CO
- Airport
- BDU · Boulder Muni, runway 08/26, 4,100 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 28, 2025
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 175 total · 19 in this make and model · 109 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KBDU, 1 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KBDU 291815Z AUTO 28010G19KT 10SM CLR 24/M05 A3003 RMK AO2=
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.