Cartercopter PROTOTYPE N121CC

Summary

On 8 April 2003 at about 20:45 local time, a Cartercopter PROTOTYPE registered N121CC was involved in an accident near Olney, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 April 2003 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Olney, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Olney Muni (ONY)

Coordinates

33.3547, -98.8167

Aircraft

Cartercopter PROTOTYPE

Registration

N121CC

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Olney → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03LA125

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear. A factor was his diverted attention.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While landing on runway 35, the pilot was distracted by a twin-engine airplane taxiing on the runway and "forgot" to extend the landing gear prior to landing. The chase ground crew alerted the pilot that the landing gear was not extended. Subsequently, the pilot attempted to go around by applying full power; however, the gyrocraft impacted the runway surface.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.