Van's RV-7 N137RV

Summary

On 10 April 2021 at about 02:58 local time, a Van's RV-7 registered N137RV, operated by Vans Aircraft Inc, was involved in an accident near Boulder, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

10 April 2021 at 02:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Boulder, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.9000, -105.5719

Aircraft

Van's RV-7

Registration

N137RV

Category

Airplane

Year built

2001

Engines

1

Operator

Vans Aircraft Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nampa → Boulder

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

DCA21LA120

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, the flight was one leg of a trip to the Sun 'n Fun aviation event in Florida, at which he would be working in the manufacturer’s company booth. The intended destination was Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC), Broomfield, Colorado. The flight to the eastern Rocky Mountain area was uneventful, and the airplane was in cruise at 13,500 feet for terrain clearance. Shortly after beginning the descent the pilot reported hearing and feeling a loud impact sound and rushing air, immediately followed by a violent and sudden ripping apart of the plexiglass canopy. The pilot reported his headset and glasses were blown off. The pilot reported he initially had difficulty controlling the airplane and reading the instruments, but regained control and successfully made an emergency landing at Boulder Airport (KBDU). Initial inspection of the damage to the canopy indicated a small half-round hole in the side of the canopy. Initially, it was suspected that the damage was possibly caused by a hard body object such as a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS/drone). However, further examination indicated the hole was consistent with the headset cable location as it was blown free, and no foreign material was found in the airplane. Although no foreign biological material was found, the location and altitude of the event was over remote mountainous terrain, indicating the collision was more likely a bird.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.