Amateur-built RV-3 ROCKET accident near Houston, Texas, June 17, 1996
On June 17, 1996 at about 2:27 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-3 ROCKET, registered N41HR, was destroyed in an accident near Houston, Texas (William P. Hobby airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the fuel line with insufficient clearance from the exhaust system, resulting in a hole being burned into the fuel line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1996 · about 2:27 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · William P. Hobby · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-3 ROCKET RV-3 ROCKE
- Registration
- N41HR · registry record · serial 006
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing on runway 12L at the William P. Hobby Airport, Houston, Texas, the pilot noticed flames between his feet. He exited the runway to the left and deplaned. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that a high pressure fuel line on the right side of the engine, had a hole burned into it. The fuel line had been improperly installed to within one inch of the exhaust pipe. Further examination revealed that the right main landing gear had been damaged by a 'previous landing,' and an aft engine mount had a break that 'appeared to be old.' The airplane was destroyed by the fire.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,596 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 729 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1996; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,113 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MB0 Madison MS at 1:00 pm
- Destination: HOU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12L, 5,148 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from HOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N41HR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW96LA252.