Olney Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Olney, Texas 76374
Sunday, April 29, 2001 14:46 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was conducting a test flight over the runway. The experimental prototype gyrocraft took off from the runway and flew approximately 2-3 feet above the ground. The pilot applied "right cyclic control" for drift correction while raising the collective approximately "6 degrees for climb." The pilot reported that at the same time the nose pitched up rapidly and rolled to the right. Corrective control inputs were applied to level the gyrocopter; however, it rolled left and over flew the edge of the runway. The pilot reduced the collective, and the aircraft touched down on the ground in a level attitude rolling approximately 25 mph. As the gyrocraft slowed to approximately 5 mph, the nose landing gear collapsed, the gyrocraft nosed down, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground and sustained structural damage. The pilot had accumulated 3,800 flight hours. This was the pilot's first flight in the accident aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff initial climb. Contributory factors were the pilot's lack of experience with the aircraft and the soft terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/2001
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1446
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Olney
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76374
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Olney Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ONY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10512
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 30 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 19 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fort Worth, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N121CC
NTSB Number FTW01LA108
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cartercopters
Aircraft Model Cartercopter
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 110.9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Cartercopters
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5720 Seymour Highway
Aircraft Owner City Wichita Falls
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76310
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Flight Test
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ONY
Departure City Olney
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1446
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 23 2001 3:37PM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --