Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Seal Beach, California 90740
Wednesday, July 7, 2004 8:11 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane collided with a residence following an in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer, elevator, and upper rudder, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent. The pilot, who was also the builder of the airplane, was on an instrument flight. While established in cruise flight at an elevation of approximately 5,000 feet mean sea level and 200 knots, radar contact was suddenly lost when the airplane entered a rapid descent. Review of the aircraft's radar data revealed primary radar returns were located near the aircraft's mode C returns near the time of the upset. Aerial and ground searches using trajectory data analysis on the primary radar returns commenced; however, no additional components were located. During a post-accident examination of the wreckage, investigators were unable to identify the stabilizer. The day prior to the accident the pilot indicated that he was experiencing control problems with the elevator trim system on the airplane. A manufacturer of another experimental aircraft kit, similar in design to the accident airplane kit, performed structural testing of his kit. These tests indicated that the flight loading could exceed the structural strength of the horizontal and vertical stabilizer control surface so modifications were made in his model to increase the structural strength. These structural modifications were not completed in the accident airplane, nor were they required. There is no requirement for experimental aircraft manufacturers or kit suppliers to analyze the structural integrity of the airplane throughout its operating envelope, nor does a builder have to establish the adequacy of the design during flight tests. The pilot's immediate family had a history of sudden death due to aneurisms and heart failure. Due to the circumstances of the accident, no usable medical data could be obtained to discern the pilot's medical condition at the time of the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the in-flight separation of the elevator, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and an uncontrolled descent. The underlying cause and mechanism of the elevator separation could not be determined.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/7/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 811 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Seal Beach |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 90740 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 334651N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1180562W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 753 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 250 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LGB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 60 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 3 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18803 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 7 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 840 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2005 6:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-LGB-FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N28BE |
| NTSB Number | LAX04LA253 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Anderson |
| Aircraft Model | Harmon Rocket II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 017 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2225 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 250 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ross Anderson |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rancho Palos Verdes |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 90275 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | TOA |
| Departure City | Torrance |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 802 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CNO |
| Destination City | Chino |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 6 2005 5:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |