# Accident 20001020038899A: Amtr HARMONRCKT, Houston, TX, October 20, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 20, 2000, 17:35 local time - Place: Houston, TX - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.6105° N, 95.1194° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6105&lon=-95.1194&mi=10 - Aircraft: N47SR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47SR-2002-05-29) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Jackson Steven Reagan HARMON ROCKET (registry code 05626X6, https://openairdocs.org/model/jackson-steven-reagan-harmon-rocket) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR HARMONRCKT - Reported engine: LYC IO540* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 21,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA016) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001020038899A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON OCTOBER 20, 2000, APPROX. 1715 CDT, A STEVEN R. JACKSON HARMON ROCKET II HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, N47SR, REGISTERED TO, MANUFACTURED AND OPERATED BY THE PIC, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS DESTROYED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT 2500 FEET DURING CLIMBOUT, AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 22, HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT, HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE ATP PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, REPORTED TO ATC, 2 MILES SW OF THE AIRPORT, THAT HE WAS LOSING HIS ENGINE AND WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT. HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND,HOWEVER, LANDED IN TREES 1/4 MILE SHORT OF RUNWAY 04. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT APPROX. 1705 AND WAS ENROUTE TO SGR, HOUSTON, TX. (.4)ON OCTOBER 20, 2000, APPROXIMATELY 1735 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A STEVEN R. JACKSON HARMON ROCKET 2 HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, N47SR, REGISTERED TO ROCKET FLYERS LLC OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AND ANOTHER PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, WAS DESTROYED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CLIMB OUT FROM RUNWAY 22, HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT, HOUSTON TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 AND WAS EN ROUTE TO THE SUGARLAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE PILOT STATED ON NTSB FORM 6120.1/2, THAT HE DEPARTED HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT FROM RUNWAY 22. AFTER LEVELING OUT AT 2,500 FEET, THE ENGINE "WENT TO WHAT APPEARED TO BE FLIGHT IDLE." HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT, PERFORMED IMMEDIATE ACTIONS TO DETERMINE/DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND DURING THE GLIDE ATTEMPTED A MANUAL START. DURING THE ENSUING DIALOG WITH THE TOWER DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY. "AT THE LAST MINUTE", HE CHOSE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE THROUGH TREES AND HIGH VEGETATION TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT. DURING THE IMPACT, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE, THE ENGINE TORE AWAY FROM THE FUSELAGE, AND THE WING FUEL TANKS RUPTURED. THE PILOT THEN MADE AN EGRESS THROUGH THE RUPTURED FUSELAGE. AN FAA INSPECTOR, A REPRESENTATIVE OF ROCKET FLYERS, AND A CERTIFIED AIRFRAME/POWERPLANT (A&P) MECHANIC EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE IN-SITU THE DAY FO LLOWING THE ACCIDENT. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE MANIFOLD AND DISTRIBUTOR. UPON REMOVING SOME ENGINE COWLING, THE INDUCTION AIR HOSE WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED FROM THE COWLING AIR SCOOP (CLAMP WAS NOT LOCATED). EXAMINATION OF THE INSIDE OF THE HOSE REVEALED THAT THE INNER LINING APPEARED TO BE PARTIALLY DELAMINATED AWAY FROM THE INNER CIRCUMFERENCE. ROCKET FLYERS ARRANGED FOR AN ENGINE RUN AFTER RECOVERY. WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE, THE ENGINE OPERATED UP TO 1,200 RPM. THE A&P MECHANIC WHO SUPERVISED THE RUN, STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO "ACHIEVE FULL POWER", BUT WAS CONCERNED THAT HIGHER RPM WOULD PULL THE ENGINE LOOSE FROM THE MAKESHIFT MOUNTINGS. ALSO, AIRFLOW WAS MANUALLY INTERRUPTED DURING THE RUN, WHICH PRECIPITATED A LOSS OF POWER. ADDITIONALLY, MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE ALTERNATOR ON OCTOBER 18, 2000. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT ON OCTOBER 19, 2000, WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. ## 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 FTW01LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA016), Oct 20, 2000: Steven R. Jackson Harmon Rocket 2 (N47SR), Houston, TX, destroyed. Probable cause: The collapsing of the inner liner of the induction air hose, resulting in a restriction of airflow to the engine and subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the… ## Other reports on N47SR (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19990415039679I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990415039679I), Apr 15, 1999: Amtr HARMONRCKT (N47SR), Tampa, FL, Minor damage. On April 15, 1999, at 1015 EDT, an experimental harmon rocket, N47SR, registered to rocket flyers LLC, was being taxied on taxiway "s" per VFR taxi clearence… 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.