# Accident 20011027029389A: Thomson James W HARMON ROCKET II, Perris, CA, October 27, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 27, 2001, 15:30 local time
- Place: Perris, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8806° N, 117.2594° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8806&lon=-117.2594&mi=10
- Aircraft: N325L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N325L-2007-06-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Thomson James W HARMON ROCKET II (registry code 05608CI, https://openairdocs.org/model/thomson-james-w-harmon-rocket-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA015) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011027029389A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON OCTOBER 27, 2001, ABOUT 1530 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME AN EXPERIMENTAL THOMSON/HARMON ROCKET II, N325L, WAS SUBSTANTIALLTY DAMAGED DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING NEAR PERRIS, CALIFORNIA. NEITHER THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT NOR COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT PASSENGER WAS INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CHINO, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1500. THE PILOT OF THE RECENTLY BUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE REPORTED EXPERIENCING CONTROL PROBLEMS PRIOR TO FORCE LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD. ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR'S EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, A BOLT AND NUT WAS MISSING FROM THE CONTROL SYSTEM THAT AFFECTED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE INSPECTOR DESCRIBED THEM AS AN AN3-7A BOLT AND AN AN 3651032 NUT, RESPECTIVELY, FROM THE AILERON CONTROL. (-23) IN FLIGHT, CONTROL STICK BECAME LESS RESPONSIVE. AILERONS AND ELEVATOR WERE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. PILOT ANNOUNCED OVER THE RADIO TO HAVE A HARD TIME MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AT HANGER, WHERE AI                                                                        RCRAFT WAS STORED AFTER THE CRASH, NOTED THAT THE BOLT AND NUT (AN3-7A AND AN365-1032) WERE MISSING FROM THE CONTROL STICK MOUNTING POINT. WITH THIS HARDWARE MISSING THE AILERONS AND ELEVATOR WERE VERY UNRESPONSIVE.

## 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 LAX02LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA015), Oct 27, 2001: Thomson Harmon Rocket II (N325L), Perris, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the airplane builder's failure to properly install a bolt and nut into the aileron and elevator flight control system. A contributing factor was the soft terrain conditions for the ensuing forced…

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.

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