Rocket in landing incident at KHND.

[NickG]

So this happened at KHND today. I hope everyone is OK. 

[NickG]

Update - I hear all occupants are OK.

[Fly Boomer]

8 hours ago, NickG said:

So this happened at KHND today. I hope everyone is OK. 

At one time, I think N66JG was owned by @Cassity.  Not sure if that's still the case.  In any event, hope everyone got out without a scratch.

[IvanP]

It is very unfortunate. Seems that noone got hurt. Hope the bird will fly again. Curious to know ehat lead to it. Was it just an ordinary gear up landing?

[DCarlton]

I don't think that will ever fly again.  

[Hank]

1 hour ago, IvanP said:

Was it just an ordinary gear up landing?

I'm also curious. Looks like the landing gear broke off, but I can't tell which wheel is beside the plane.

Glad everyone is alright!

[0TreeLemur]

Is that buckled skin aft of the rear windows where the empennage connects to the tubular steel frame?

[LANCECASPER]

45 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

Is that buckled skin aft of the rear windows where the empennage connects to the tubular steel frame?

Looks like it. When it hits hard enough for that to buckle, it makes you wonder about the integrity of the roll cage.

By the time you add up engine teardown, prop, landing gear parts that are bent, gear doors, belly panel, re-skin - if it's insured for the present value it'll be close to totaled. If it's insured at a low value for sure it's totaled.

[NickG]

1 hour ago, DCarlton said:

I don't think that will ever fly again.  

Not likely. 

[Danb]

I think Scott still has the plane. 

[1980Mooney]

16 hours ago, NickG said:

Update - I hear all occupants are OK.

 

8 hours ago, Fly Boomer said:

At one time, I think N66JG was owned by @Cassity.  Not sure if that's still the case.  In any event, hope everyone got out without a scratch.

 

4 hours ago, IvanP said:

It is very unfortunate. Seems that noone got hurt. Hope the bird will fly again. Curious to know ehat lead to it. Was it just an ordinary gear up landing?

Cassity still appears as the owner in the FAA Registry.  He has not been on MS since June of last year.  About that time the Registry shows that he also purchased N693BS, a 2021 SUPER PETREL LS (amphibious). ADSB-Exchange shows that it showed up at Henderson on September 19, 2024.  It appears to fly fairly regularly from Henderson to Lake Mead.

Per ADSB-Exchange the Rocket didn't fly much - last flight in 2024 was November 29 around Henderson, then on February 15-16, 2025 to Buckeye, AZ and back, and then on June 28, 2025 a few short flights around Las Vegas.  On July 2 it flew to Provo.  This happened the next day on the return.

Per FlightAware and ADSB-Exchange it looks like he landed at a high rate of descent, pushed it into the runway about 1/4-1/3 down the 5,000 ft, runway and porpoised extremely hard.

• As noted above look at how the tail section rear of the steel fuselage frame is buckled downward.  That took a high downward force while on the main landing gear.
• It is hard to tell from the pic but the spinner looks like it is crushed in and one blade is completely bent under the lower cowling.
• It looks like all the landing gear are sheared off/collapsed
• In addition to @LANCECASPER comment about the fuselage frame, this Rocket has an STC bespoke engine mount that may also be damaged adding to the cost.

Per ADSB-Exchange, he came in way too high.  At about 1.5 nm from the threshold, he was about 1,000 ft AGL and descending at -2,000 fpm.  That is about a 6 degree glide slope.  His rate of descent reduced to about -450 fpm as he crossed the airport fence but increased to about -770 fpm as he crossed the runway threshold which makes it look like he forced it into the runway. (Note - ADSB shows he was about 150 AGL when crossing the threshold.  Also 35R is a shorter runway and set back from taxiway A - the threshold is at taxiway C)

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a8b2af&lat=35.968&lon=-115.124&zoom=15.1&showTrace=2025-07-03&trackLabels&timestamp=1751562032

N66JG Flight Tracking and History 03-Jul-2025 (KPVU-KHND) - FlightAware

N693BS Flight Tracking and History 06-Jun-2025 (KHND-KVGT) - FlightAware

 

 

Edited July 4 by 1980Mooney
Addition about the height above threshold.

[Fly Boomer]

3 minutes ago, 1980Mooney said:

In addition to @LANCECASPER comment about the fuselage frame, this Rocket has an STC bespoke engine mount that may also be damaged adding to the cost.

Fortunately, you can still buy a new engine mount from Rocket Engineering.  It's AMU12, but readily available.

[Ragsf15e]

27 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Fortunately, you can still buy a new engine mount from Rocket Engineering.  It's AMU12, but readily available.

Maybe, but Rocket’s hanger at KSFF looks deserted and has a for sale sign on the front.

[NickG]

2 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

 

 

Cassity still appears as the owner in the FAA Registry.  He has not been on MS since June of last year.  About that time the Registry shows that he also purchased N693BS, a 2021 SUPER PETREL LS (amphibious). ADSB-Exchange shows that it showed up at Henderson on September 19, 2024.  It appears to fly fairly regularly from Henderson to Lake Mead.

Per ADSB-Exchange the Rocket didn't fly much - last flight in 2024 was November 29 around Henderson, then on February 15-16, 2025 to Buckeye, AZ and back, and then on June 28, 2025 a few short flights around Las Vegas.  On July 2 it flew to Provo.  This happened the next day on the return.

Per FlightAware and ADSB-Exchange it looks like he landed at a high rate of descent, pushed it into the runway about 1/4-1/3 down the 5,000 ft, runway and porpoised extremely hard.

• As noted above look at how the tail section rear of the steel fuselage frame is buckled downward.  That took a high downward force while on the main landing gear.
• It is hard to tell from the pic but the spinner looks like it is crushed in and one blade is completely bent under the lower cowling.
• It looks like all the landing gear are sheared off/collapsed
• In addition to @LANCECASPER comment about the fuselage frame, this Rocket has an STC bespoke engine mount that may also be damaged adding to the cost.

Per ADSB-Exchange, he came in way too high.  At about 1.5 nm from the threshold, he was about 1,000 ft AGL and descending at -2,000 fpm.  That is about a 6 degree glide slope.  His rate of descent reduced to about -450 fpm as he crossed the airport fence but increased to about -770 fpm as he crossed the runway threshold which makes it look like he forced it into the runway. (Note - ADSB shows he was about 150 AGL when crossing the threshold.  Also 35R is a shorter runway and set back from taxiway A - the threshold is at taxiway C)

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a8b2af&lat=35.968&lon=-115.124&zoom=15.1&showTrace=2025-07-03&trackLabels&timestamp=1751562032

N66JG Flight Tracking and History 03-Jul-2025 (KPVU-KHND) - FlightAware

N693BS Flight Tracking and History 06-Jun-2025 (KHND-KVGT) - FlightAware

 

 

HND is my home base. We have a lot of landing accidents here - coming into HND from the south there’s a ridge of mountains you have to come over and if you’re not careful or get distracted can find yourself high, fast and a lot closer to the threshold than you want to be. It’s why there’s no precision approach into HND - the glideslope is 6.5 degrees from KATYU - which is only 3 miles from the threshold.

Need to decide to go around early if not stabilized. It seems like he tried to wrestle it down - which I could have done in my Cherokee 235 but would never do in my Ovation. I wonder if he had too many recent hours flying the amphib. Just glad everyone’s OK.

[Fly Boomer]

37 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

Maybe, but Rocket’s hanger at KSFF looks deserted and has a for sale sign on the front.

My info is 6 months old -- long time in this business.

[Echo]

Bummer.  

[exM20K]

3 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Maybe, but Rocket’s hanger at KSFF looks deserted and has a for sale sign on the front.

Yikes.  Is that the same facility they were doing JetProps out of?

-dan

[NickG]

Just passed by the South Ramp again. Doesn’t look like has struck the tail. Looks like hard landing, gear collapsed, loss of control - and iff the runway. Looks like he went through some steel fencing that cut thru horizontal stabilizer like cheese. Seriously lucky to be alive I think.

[LANCECASPER]

34 minutes ago, NickG said:

Just passed by the South Ramp again. Doesn’t look like has struck the tail. Looks like hard landing, gear collapsed, loss of control - and iff the runway. Looks like he went through some steel fencing that cut thru horizontal stabilizer like cheese. Seriously lucky to be alive I think.

Yeah that's a total loss. If I was the owner and I walked away from that I would hope the insurance company wouldn't want to rebuild it. Walking away alive they hit the jackpot.

 

[MikeOH]

Beer cans, IMHO

[Ragsf15e]

4 hours ago, exM20K said:

Yikes.  Is that the same facility they were doing JetProps out of?

-dan

Yep. I’ll be out there Tuesday to help attach my “new” starter adapter and ill try to get a picture.

[Mooney in Oz]

This saddens me to see what previously was a gorgeous looking Mooney.

Glad that no one was hurt.

[kortopates]

HND is my home base. We have a lot of landing accidents here - coming into HND from the south there’s a ridge of mountains you have to come over and if you’re not careful or get distracted can find yourself high, fast and a lot closer to the threshold than you want to be. It’s why there’s no precision approach into HND - the glideslope is 6.5 degrees from KATYU - which is only 3 miles from the threshold.
Need to decide to go around early if not stabilized. It seems like he tried to wrestle it down - which I could have done in my Cherokee 235 but would never do in my Ovation. I wonder if he had too many recent hours flying the amphib. Just glad everyone’s OK.

I think the Ads/B data shows he came in on Rwy 17 and hence the terrain wouldn’t be a factor. But Henderson is also known for horrendous xwinds. Any chance winds were a factor or just a challenge for the pilot that day?
Really looks like the plane pancaked and wondering if in addition to being high the pilot may have had to deal with a strong crosswind?


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[NickG]

16 minutes ago, kortopates said:

I think the Ads/B data shows he came in on Rwy 17 and hence the terrain wouldn’t be a factor. But Henderson is also known for horrendous xwinds. Any chance winds were a factor or just a challenge for the pilot that day?
Really looks like the plane pancaked and wondering if in addition to being high the pilot may have had to deal with a strong crosswind?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No… he’s coming in over the Ridge 35R. Winds at HND can change from one end of the runway to the other. But he’s definitely high and fast.

[LANCECASPER]

https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/524456