Creekmore TEAM ROCKET F-1 N140TC
20 December 2002 · Rosenberg, Texas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 20 December 2002 at about 19:03 local time, a Creekmore TEAM ROCKET F-1 registered N140TC was involved in an accident near Rosenberg, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:03
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Rosenberg, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 29.5244, -95.7753
- Aircraft
- Creekmore TEAM ROCKET F-1
- Registration
- N140TC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Houston → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW03LA061
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer as a result of the builder's failure to install the upper attachment fitting for the vertical fin aft spar.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The vertical stabilizer separated from the airplane in-flight while descending to land. Witnesses reported observing the airplane in a near vertical descent as it disappeared from their view, and that they heard the engine making a "high level of noise." After the airplane descended from view, the witnesses observed a piece(s) of the airplane "fluttering down." An examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, and a representative from the manufacturer, revealed that the upper attachment fitting for the vertical fin aft spar was not installed. This is a 1 x 1 x.125 inch extruded angle that is designed to absorb the fin torque loads resulting from rudder deflections. Four AN3 fasteners attach this fitting to the aft section of the fuselage, and to the vertical fin aft spar. It was also observed that the vertical fin forward spar attach holes were not drilled, as directed by the assembly manual.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2002 | Boeing A75SN1 | Georgetown, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 2002 | Cessna 188A | Vincent, Texas, United States | Elk Creek Spraying Service | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 2002 | Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B | El Paso, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 2002 | Bellanca 17-30 | Plainview, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jan 2002 | Cessna 340A | Temple, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 18 Jan 2002 | Beechcraft C23 | Sinton, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |