# NTSB DEN07CA102: Eagle RND Helicycle, N15XH, Erie, CO, June 21, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 21, 2007, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Erie, CO - Coordinates: 40.010276, -105.048057 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0103&lon=-105.0481&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 30, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 66037 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN07CA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66037/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN07CA102 ## Probable cause 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. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - flare - not attained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - other ## Analysis 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. ## Factual narrative The pilot was making his second attempt to land his home-built, experimental helicopter when during the descent the aircraft did not enter a flare and impacted onto the ramp. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot said, "I flared at approximately 3 to 4 feet, felt contact with something and the rotor system sounded strange, but the ship pitched forward and to the right. The ship contacted the ground still in this forward right attitude." 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 during the pilot's second landing attempt, the pilot began about 75 feet above the ground. "The pilot started down at a steep angle at approximately 15 miles per hour. The helicopter came straight down." The witness said "the pilot did not pull back on the collective. The helicopter hit the ground flat, made a 90-degree turn and stopped." The witness said that when he had flown the helicopter earlier that day, everything worked just fine. ## Aircraft - Registration: N15XH (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Eagle RND Helicycle - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: 03-070 - Engines: Solar T-62T-32 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Raymond J. lynch - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: EIK, Erie, CO - Destination: EIK, Erie, CO - Airport: EIK, Erie Municipal, runway 33 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3; flight hours: 109 total, 2 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.