Amateur-built Prototype accident near Olney, Texas, April 8, 2003
On April 8, 2003 at about 8:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Prototype (gyroplane), registered N121CC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olney, Texas (Olney Muni airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear. A factor was his diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2003 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Olney, Texas · Olney Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Prototype
- Registration
- N121CC · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,935 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 363.8 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 29, 2003; 3.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Motors 350 CID (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONY Olney TX at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 16 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from E15, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N121CC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW03LA125.