# Accident 19991216036969A: Cartercopters CARTERCOPTER, Olney, TX, December 16, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 16, 1999, 10:45 local time - Place: Olney, TX - Airport: Olney Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.3599° N, 98.7497° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3599&lon=-98.7497&mi=10 - Aircraft: N121CC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N121CC) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cartercopters CARTERCOPTER (registry code 05606CO, https://openairdocs.org/model/cartercopters-cartercopter) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs) - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW00LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA045) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991216036969A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON DECEMBER 16, 1999, AT 1045 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CARTERCOPTERS CARTERCOPTER GYROPLANE, N121CC, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY CARTERCOPTERS LLC OF WITCHITA FALLS, TEXAS, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING AT THE OLNEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT NEAR OLNEY, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED "HARD" ON RUNWAY 22 FOLLOWING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. DURING THE LANDING, THE ROTOR BLADES "CHOPPED OFF THE TAILBOOM." THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT EXPERIENCE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION, AND THAT THE REASON FOR THE HARD LANDING WAS "PILOT ERROR." (-23) ON DECEMBER 16, 1999, AT APPROX. 10:45 CST, A ONE OF A KIND CARTERCOPERS CARTERCOPTER GYROPLANE, N121CC, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A LANDING FOLLOWING A NONSCHEDULED ABORTED TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 22 AT (ONY) OLNEY,MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, OLNEY, TEXAS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE AN ERROR THAT RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE ROTOR BLADES CHOPPED OFF THE TAILBOOM AND THE RIGHT WING ALSO RECEIVED SOME DAMAGE. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE TEST FLIGHT. THIS GYROPLANE IS CERTIFIED AS A RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERIMENTAL A/C WITH NEW EXPERIMENTAL TYPE OF CONTROLS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW00LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA045), Dec 16, 1999: Cartercopters Cartercopter (N121CC), Olney, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during takeoff, which resulted in a hard landing following the aborted takeoff. ## Other reports on N121CC (6) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20050617014759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050617014759A), Jun 17, 2005: Amtr CARTERCOPTER (N121CC), Olney, TX, Destroyed. (-23) During taxi PIC engaged pre-rotor and the aircraft became uncontrollable. - [Accident 20030408004539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030408004539A), Apr 8, 2003: Amtr CARTERCOPTER (N121CC), Olney, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 8, 2003, at 1545 local time, a Cartercopter gyroplane, N121CC, owned and operated by Cartercopter LLC, of wichita falls Texas, sustained… - [Incident 20011028033149I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011028033149I), Oct 28, 2001: Amtr CARTERCOPTER (N121CC), Olney, TX, Minor damage. (-23) This operation involved a taxi test without the intent to fly an experimental carter copter, inc., gyrocopter, N121CC, in pre-flight development. During… - [Accident 20010429009799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010429009799A), Apr 29, 2001: N121CC, Olney, TX, No damage. (-23)On 04/29/2001, a cartercopter experimental gyrocraft, was conducting a test flight over flight over runway 17 at Olney Municipal Airport, Olney, Texas,… - [Accident 20010325007189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010325007189A), Mar 25, 2001: N121CC, Olney, TX, No damage. (-23)On 3/25/2001, at 1135 am CDT, a gyrocopter, N121CC, owned by cartercopters LLC, 5720 seymour way, wichita falls, Texas 76310 lost dirctional control… - [Accident 20001213027729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001213027729A), Dec 13, 2000: Amtr CARTERCOPTER (N121CC), Olney, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On December 13, 2000, at 1700 CST, a Cartercopter, N121CC, owned by Cartercopter LLC. Overshot the end of the runway after landing on a test flight.… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.