DEN85FTM04

Factual narrative

A GROUP OF PLTS WERE PREPARING FOR AN AIRSHOW FLYBY. AS A FORMATION OF AIRPLANES WERE BEING TAXIED TO RWY 29, THE PLT OF A HOME BUILT SCORPION 133 HELICOPTER, N45877, WAS CLEARED TO AIR TAXI ACROSS RWY 29 & PROCEED TO RWY 22. AS THE HELICOPTER PLT WAS APPROACHING RWY 22 & WAS IN A DESCENDING LEFT TURN, A HOME BUILT AIRPLANE WAS TAKING OFF ON THE SAME RWY (22). TO AVOID A POSSIBLE COLLISION, THE HELICOPTER PLT MADE A HARD LEFT TURN & 'PUSHED IT TO THE GROUND' BETWEEN RWY 22 & THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT THE LANDING WAS NOT HARD. HE BELIEVED THAT GYROSCOPIC PRECESSION CAUSED THE HELICOPTER TO ROLL OVER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12