# Accident 20061209027259A: Amtr HARMONRCKTII, Bakersfield, CA, December 9, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 9, 2006, 10:40 local time
- Place: Bakersfield, CA
- Airport: Bakersfield Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2394° N, 119.1372° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2394&lon=-119.1372&mi=10
- Aircraft: N604JL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N604JL-2009-03-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lauer John HARMON ROCKET II (registry code 05617W1, https://openairdocs.org/model/lauer-john-harmon-rocket-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR HARMONRCKTII
- Reported engine: LYC IO540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 11,700 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA054) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061209027259A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 12/9/2006, AT APPROXIMATELY 1040 HOURS PST, HARMON ROCKET II AIRCRAFT, N604JL, CRASHED 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BAKERSFIELD, CA, FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMIT^ PILOT IN COMMAND, OPERATING UNDER PART 91, DEPARTED BAKERSFIELD MUNICIPAL (L45) AT APPROXIMATELY 1010 HOURS PST, WITH ONE PASSENGER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOR A 15 MINUTE TO 20 MINUTE SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT SOUTHWEST OF BAKERSFIELD. WITNESSES REPORTED N604JL CONDUCTING LOW ALTITUDE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS WHEN IT STRUCK THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 1040 HOURS PST. ACCIDENT SITE EVIDENCE INDICATES N604JL IMPACTED IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE, AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, WITH POWER APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT COMPACTED INTO ITSELF AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM THE IMPACT POINT. THE PASSENGER WAS EJECTED AND THROWN ABOUT 50 FEET FROM THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE. THE PILOT WAS TRAPPED IN THE WRECKAGE. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE KILLED INSTANTLY.

## 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 LAX07LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA054), Dec 9, 2006: John Lauer Harmon Rocket II (N604JL), Bakersfield, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance during an aerobatic maneuver.

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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