Amateur-built HARMON ROCKET 2 accident near Houston, Texas, October 20, 2000
On October 20, 2000 at about 10:35 pm local time, a amateur-built HARMON ROCKET 2, registered N47SR, was destroyed in an accident near Houston, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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 forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2000 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HARMON ROCKET 2 HARMON ROC
- Registration
- N47SR · registry record · serial 3702
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After take off, and leveling out at 2,500 feet, the single engine airplane experienced a loss of power. The pilot immediately commenced a turn back to the airport. During the ensuing emergency descent, the pilot realized that he would not make the runway. During the impact, the right wing struck a tree, the engine tore away from the fuselage, and the wing fuel tanks ruptured as the airplane passed through high vegetation. During examination of the wreckage, the induction air hose was found disconnected from the cowling air scoop (clamp was not located). The inner lining of the hose appeared to be partially delaminated away from the inner circumference. With some modifications due to impact damage, the engine operated up to 1,200 RPM during a post accident run. The 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.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 19,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 507 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2000; 101 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOU at 11:30 pm
- Destination: SGR TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.