---------------------------------------------------------- Rocket-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 09/29/08: 5 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:10 AM - RE Rocket Insurance - 09/28/08 (Rob Mokry) 2. 05:40 AM - Re: Continental TSIO-520 (N395V) 3. 05:44 AM - Re: RE Rocket Insurance - 09/28/08 (N395V) 4. 02:09 PM - Re: RE Rocket Insurance - 09/28/08 (Brian Adams) 5. 03:19 PM - Re: RE Rocket "Accident" (CalBru@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:10:23 AM PST US From: "Rob Mokry" Subject: Rocket-List: RE Rocket Insurance - 09/28/08 "I don't know what accident has ruined the Harmon Rocket reputation but I would sure like to know." "My agent said all others declined due to the existing unsettled claim." Does anyone know the particulars? My insurance is coming due and would like to know the talking points. Thanks Rob Time: 06:29:34 AM PST US From: "Jim Stone" Subject: Re: Rocket-List: Insurance questions...........again Brian, That seems high, a work around might be to lower the insured amount if you don't have avionics, engine and prop installed. With all or some of the big items safely stored elsewhere, you could now insure the hull for what you have in it, or a bit more. I paid a lot less and was adament about coverage for the one time trip to the airport. I just renewed with London. My agent said all others declined due to the existing unsettled claim. I paid 4k my first year, and now am paying 3400 the second year for 120k hull value. The price would go up to 4k if I use 140 as the hull value. Good luck trying to find someone to insure you and with your final stages in getting your Rocket finished. I don't know what accident has ruined the Harmon Rocket reputation but I would sure like to know. BTW, I am a retired Navy Fighter guy, a UPS 757/767 Captain, and have in the neighborhood of 8000 hours total with 150 time in type, with no mishaps are claims. If the insurance companies are declining coverage with my experience, I have to assume it's the airplane that is high risk not the pilot. My buddy has an RV-4 and he pays 1400 per year but it is only work half of a Rocket. I suspect we may be at the point where you can only buy liability for new policies. BTW,I have a great agent who worked hard for me, his name Mike Pratt at 502-905-8747 mpratt@jmpinsurance.com ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 05:40:35 AM PST US Subject: Rocket-List: Re: Continental TSIO-520 From: "N395V" I had GTSIO 520Ks in a twin commander 435HP each and TSIOJs in a Cessna 414 (I think 310 HP) Great engines, reliable and bullet proof. Don't know about the Cs. I would be cautiou some of the early 520 series had a problem with the cases cracking till they dowelled them and finally beefed them up. I agree you should talk to Mark as I am not certain the engine mount for the 550 will work on the 520. Also might affect the cowl and where you willput the turbo?????? -------- Milt 2003 F1 Rocket 2006 Radial Rocket Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 6710#206710 ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 05:44:35 AM PST US Subject: Rocket-List: Re: RE Rocket Insurance - 09/28/08 From: "N395V" The morning of the day I called to insure my F1 someone had just punched one throuh the roof of a home in California. I had to go without ins for a year and when it came back it was HIGH>. Don't know which accident your broker is referring to but just about any accident really makes the ins market turbulent for awhile. -------- Milt 2003 F1 Rocket 2006 Radial Rocket Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 6711#206711 ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 02:09:59 PM PST US From: Brian Adams Subject: Re: Rocket-List: RE Rocket Insurance - 09/28/08 Rob, I too am not sure which accident he is talking about, but this one came up on the NTSB web site and was about 3 months ago and was not reported here. NTSB Identification: *NYC08LA222* 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Accident occurred Friday, June 20, 2008 in Woodbine, NJ Aircraft: Dennis P. McGurk F1 Rocket, registration: N623BL Injuries: 2 Fatal. This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. On June 20, 2008, at 1943 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built F1 Rocket, N623BL, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near Woodbine Municipal Airport (1N4), Woodbine, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to witnesses, just prior to the accident, they saw the airplane in a "steep climb" when they heard the engine "lose power." The airplane then "nosed down," entered a spin, and the witnesses heard the engine resume power. The airplane then struck power lines before it impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude. Examination of the accident site and airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed both occupants were wearing parachutes. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The airplane came to rest inverted, on a 090-degree magnetic heading, and a postcrash fire had occurred. Flight control continuity was established for all flight controls, and no evidence of in-flight structural failure or in-flight fire was discovered. Examination of the engine revealed that it had been modified from its original design. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction was discovered. The engine was relatively intact; however, the oil sump, and the push rods for cylinders No. 1 and No. 4 sustained impact damage. Examination of the upper spark plugs revealed that they were of an automotive type. Their electrodes were gray in color. The crankshaft was rotated by hand, and thumb compression was obtained on cylinder Nos. 2, 3, 5, and 6. Thumb compression was not obtained on cylinders No. 1 and No. 4 because of impact damage to the push rods, but movement was observed in both cylinders. There was also movement of the rear accessory gear, and the engine driven fuel pump's operability was verified during rotation of the crankshaft. The ignition system for the upper spark plugs was powered by an electronic ignition unit. Examination of the unit revealed that it had sustained impact damage and was inoperable. The ignition system for the lower plugs was of standard design, and was powered by a magneto. It was found separated from the engine, and was also impact damaged. It would however, produce spark from all six ignition lead towers when rotated by hand. Examination of the fuel injection system revealed that the fuel injector had broken off its mounting stub. The fuel injector's inlet finger screen was clear of debris, and had a trace amount of fuel within the injector finger screen chamber. The air impact tubes and venturi were also free of debris, and the throttle linkage and associated air valve mixture arm moved freely. According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land. He reported 500 total hours of flight experience on his most recent application for a FAA third-class medical certificate, dated December 28, 2006. According to the FAA and the airplane kit manufacturer, the accident airplane received its experimental airworthiness certificate on September 20, 2007. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued approximately 190 total hours of operation. The wreckage was retained by the National Transportation Safety Board for further examination. A weather observation taken about 8 minutes prior to the accident, at Cape May County Airport (WWD), Wildwood, New Jersey, located 13 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, recorded the wind as 180 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 22 degrees Celsius, dew point 16 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.01 inches of mercury. Brian Adams HR II Orginal ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 03:19:35 PM PST US From: CalBru@aol.com Subject: Re: Rocket-List: RE Rocket "Accident" Guys, I thought that I had ground looped my F1 out at Truckee on 9/10/08. This will probably come up on NTSB eventually. I thought this through in my mind quite a bit wondering what I had done wrong. We were slow, the TW had come down, when the plane just started going right, no matter how much L rudder I put in. The L MLG bent back and in about 15*, the L wing tagged the runway, and of course, upon leaving the pavement and decelerating into the dirt the tail came up for a quick prop strike, then back down. No injuries. As I drove a borrowed large truck and 30' trailer out there last Friday (from Salt Lake), I thought about the damage and realized that the TW has collapsed and twisted clockwise, where all of the momentum during the accident was turning everything counterclockwise. I had noticed that the TW had sheared the 2 AN3 bolts and rotated at the scene, but it was later that it dawned on me that it must have collapsed prior to the accident--in fact the TW failure caused the accident. The single arm Janzi TW steering arm obviously rotated during the failure from horizontal to vertical, thus placing pressure on the bottom of the rudder and forcing it to the right, thus causing the uncontrollable right turn! There is a hole punctured in the glass rudder bottom, probably from my Left foot jamming on the L rudder so hard. I was upset that I had damaged the plane, but when I thought it was my fault (even though I could not figure out why) I felt OK about the brain damage and expense of the repair. Now, knowing that a few cents worth of bolts failing caused the accident and aftermath, I'm kinda upset. Bottom line, Check your bolts which go through the TW assembly into the tail spring so you don't have a similar incident!!! The F1 is back in the hangar now, and I'll slowly figure out how to get it back in the air! Cal Brubaker **************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. 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