History of Flight
On October 4, 2014, at approximately 1817 mountain daylight time, a Celier Aviation model Xenon R gyroplane, registration N719MB, was destroyed after impacting power transmission wires near Loma, Colorado. The commercial pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft, registered to Western Centurion LLC, was operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not on a flight plan. The local flight had originated from Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) in Grand Junction, Colorado, at about 1800.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 61, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, instrument airplane, helicopter, and gyroplane. He was issued a second-class airman medical certificate on January 6, 2014, with a restriction for corrective lenses.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a 2007 Celier Xenon R gyroplane, serial number CAK04071R. It was a two-seat, single-rotor gyroplane powered by a single Rotax 912S engine rated at 100 horsepower. The fuselage was composite construction, with two metal tail booms supporting vertical stabilizers and rudders. A horizontal stabilizer and elevator were mounted between the vertical stabilizers. The two-blade rotor had a metal structure with drawn aluminum blades. According to FAA records, the gyroplane received an experimental category airworthiness certificate on January 18, 2008, for operation as a light-sport aircraft. The aircraft was purchased by Western Centurion LLC on December 28, 2009.
Meteorological Information
The GJT Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), located about 15 miles east of the accident site, reported at 1753: wind from 280 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 19°C, dew point 3°C, and altimeter 30.13 inches of mercury. Sunset occurred at about 1853 on the day of the accident.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The gyroplane struck a static wire crossing the Colorado River near Loma, Colorado. The wire was strung between poles on opposite sides of the river and estimated to be about 50 feet above the surface. The gyroplane came to rest on its right side in the river. The rotor and mast system were torn from the fuselage, and the forward cabin section was separated. Impact signatures on the mast mount were consistent with a wire strike. Postaccident examinations revealed no anomalies indicative of a preimpact failure or malfunction.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Mesa County Coroner's Office on October 5, 2014, attributed the pilot's death to injuries received in the accident. Toxicology testing by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute detected famotidine (in urine only), ibuprofen (in urine), and oxymetazoline (in urine only). Famotidine is used to inhibit stomach acid production; ibuprofen is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory; oxymetazoline is a decongestant.