Gyrocopter Pilot Dies Five Days After Crash Near Larkspur, Colo.

A gyrocopter pilot died July 18 from injuries sustained five days earlier when his aircraft crashed near Larkspur, Colorado, the National Transportation Safety Board reported. The aircraft — a Tag Aviation PTY LTD Titanium Explorer registered as N665TE — was substantially damaged in the accident.

According to NTSB records, the pilot had flown from Meadowlake Airport (FLY) in Peyton to Central Colorado Airport (AEJ) in Buena Vista, where he filled the fuel tank with 91-octane motor gasoline before heading back toward Meadowlake. While en route over Lake George, the pilot contacted a friend by cell phone and reported the flight was proceeding normally. A witness in the Perry Park area later reported hearing the gyrocopter flying low with an engine that sounded as if it were "struggling" shortly before 8 a.m. MDT. The engine then stopped, and the aircraft fell through a stand of trees. First responders from the Larkspur Fire Protection District found fuel dripping from the tank, though no post-crash fire occurred. The pilot was airlifted to a trauma center but did not survive.

Investigators found the aircraft on its right side with bent and cracked rotor blades and one blade tip sheared off. The three-bladed propeller remained attached to its hub, with blades described as flat and smooth. Maintenance records indicated the aircraft was due for an annual inspection in September 2026. The NTSB investigation is ongoing, and no probable cause has been determined.