From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.
What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-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, and obtained approximately 2-3 feet altitude. During the short flight and landing roll, the aircraft drifted to the left side of the runway where the nose landing gear dug into soft dirt. The gyrocraft nosed down and the main rotor blades contacted the ground and structurally damaged the main rotor blades. The commerical pilot and test engineer observer were not injured. The local test flight began at approximately 1500 central datlight time.
As the FAA filed it
(-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, AND OBTAINED APPROXIMATELY 2-3 FEET ALTITUDE. DURING THE SHORT FLIGHT AND LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY WHERE THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DUG INTO SOFT DIRT. THE GYROCRAFT NOSED DOWN AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND AND STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE COMMERICAL PILOT AND TEST ENGINEER OBSERVER WERE NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL TEST FLIGHT BEGAN AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 CENTRAL DATLIGHT TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.