Amateur-built Harmon Rocket ll accident near Mckittrick, California, March 25, 2006
On March 25, 2006 at about 3:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Harmon Rocket ll, registered N96CR, was destroyed in an accident near Mckittrick, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance while performing intentional low altitude aerobatic flight maneuvers. Factors associated with the accident are the low altitude aerobatic flight maneuvers.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2006 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mckittrick, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Harmon Rocket ll
- Registration
- N96CR · no longer on the register · serial 1999
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot of the amateur built experimental airplane was conducting a solo, local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He departed a private strip on the family's ranch, and proceeded to perform low level aerobatic flight maneuvers within view of his family's homes, and a camping area located on the ranch frequented by family and friends. Numerous family and friends watched as he passed overhead, inverted, and waving. Witnesses said he appeared to be departing the area doing rolls, when the airplane suddenly pitched down and impacted the ground. The airplane was destroyed by impact and postcrash fire. The wreckage was examined onsite by an FAA inspector, who said flight control continuity could not be established due to the extensive damage. The pilot built the airplane, and had an experimental airplane maintenance certificate for the airplane. No maintenance or pilot records were discovered for examination. Ranch personnel buried the airplane wreckage on the property, and the airplane wreckage was not examined by the NTSB. An autopsy of the pilot disclosed that the pilot died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries. The pilot did not have an FAA waiver to perform low altitude aerobatics.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Mckittrick CA at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.