Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 4, 2014, about 1817 mountain daylight time, a Celier Aviation model Xenon R gyroplane, N719MB, was destroyed when it impacted power transmission wires near Loma, Colorado. The commercial pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The aircraft was registered to Western Centurion LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The local flight originated from the Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), Grand Junction, Colorado, about 1800. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 61, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, instrument airplane, helicopter, and gyroplane ratings. The pilot was issued a second-class airman medical certificate, with a restriction for corrective lenses, on January 6, 2014. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe aircraft was a 2007 Celier Xenon R gyroplane, serial number CAK04071R. It was a single rotor gyroplane with two seats and was powered by a single Rotax 912S engine rated to produce 100 horsepower. According to manufacturer's information, the gyroplane was a two-seat gyrocopter with a fixed tricycle landing gear arrangement. The main structural component was the composite fuselage. Two metal tail booms exited the rear of the fuselage and had vertical stabilizers and rudders mounted to each boom. A horizontal stabilizer and elevator was mounted between the vertical stabilizers. The control surfaces were also of composite construction. A metal mast was affixed to the fuselage structure, on which the control head with the lifting rotor was mounted. The two-blade rotor had a metal structure with blades made from drawn aluminum.

According to FAA records, the gyroplane was issued an experimental category airworthiness certificate on January 18, 2008, for the purpose of operating a light-sport aircraft as an existing aircraft that did not meet the definition of an ultralight aircraft. Registration information indicated that the gyroplane was purchased by Western Centurion LLC, on December 28, 2009. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONWeather conditions recorded by the GJT Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), located about 15 miles east of the accident site, at 1753, were: wind from 280 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 mile, clear skies, temperature 19 degrees Celsius, dew point 3 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.13 inches of mercury.

According to astronomical data, sunset would have occurred about 1853 on the day of the accident. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe aircraft was a 2007 Celier Xenon R gyroplane, serial number CAK04071R. It was a single rotor gyroplane with two seats and was powered by a single Rotax 912S engine rated to produce 100 horsepower. According to manufacturer's information, the gyroplane was a two-seat gyrocopter with a fixed tricycle landing gear arrangement. The main structural component