# Accident 20080620843909A: F1ROCKET, Belleplain, NJ, June 20, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 20, 2008, 20:00 local time
- Place: Belleplain, NJ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.2694° N, 74.8661° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2694&lon=-74.8661&mi=10
- Aircraft: N623BL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N623BL-2013-03-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcgurk Dennis P JR F1 ROCKET (registry code 05624K0, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcgurk-dennis-p-jr-f1-rocket) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: F1ROCKET
- Reported engine: LYC O540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 120 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC08LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA222) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080620843909A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JUNE 20 ABOUT 19:40 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A F-1 ROCKET, N623BL DEPARTED THE WOODBINE NJ AIRPORT FOR A PART 91 FLIGHT.  A WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT STATED THE DEPARTURE WAS NORMAL.  TEN MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT SEVERAL WITNESS'S STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DOING AEROBATIC MANUEVERS ABOUT TEN MILES FROM THE AIRPORT.  DURING A STRAIGHT-UP ASCENT THE WITNESS'S STATED THE AIRCRAFT STALLED OR SHUTOFF AND TUMBLED END OVER END AND BEGAN TO SPIRAL DOWN.  THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RECOVER FROM THE SPIRAL AND AFTER CONTACTING SEVERAL ELECTRICAL SERVICE WIRES CRASHED ON STATE HIGHWAY 550 IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE MAKING A SIXTEEN INCH DEPRESSION IN THE PAVED SURFACE.  THE AIRCRAT CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH THE NOSE HEADED 090.  THE IMPACT AND POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT, BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WHO WERE WEARING PARACHUTES WER FATALLY INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.  POST CRASH EVALUATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED CONTINUITY OF AILERONS, AFT FUSELAGE DESTROYED BY FIRE BUT RUDDER CABLES WERE PRESENT AND ATTACHED, PUSH PULL ROD FOR ELEVATOR COMPROMISED BY FIRE BUT ROD ENDS OF TUBE WERE THERE AND ATTACHED.  ENGINE WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE INTACT AND APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONAL (SEE ATTACHED REPORT).  FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION.  THE INTERNAL PORTION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE HAD MELTED IN THE FIRE AND THE VALVE COULD NO BE REPOSITIONED.  I HAVE A FUEL SLIP SHOWING SERVICE OF 37 GALLONS OF FUEL AT 19:33 LOCAL JUST PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT.  THE RADAR TRACK SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTING 23:33Z AND OFF SCREEN AT 23:43Z.  RADAR TRACK IS ALSO AVAILABLE.

## 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 NYC08LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA222), Jun 20, 2008: Dennis P. McGurk F1 Rocket (N623BL), Woodbine, NJ, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's failure to select the proper tank prior to performing aerobatics.

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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