SAD NEWS - First model rocket flight fatality announced by NAR President
 

NAR President Ted Cochran posted this on the NAR Facebook page a short time ago:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2255560886/?fref=nf

Very Sad News indeed.

A GoFundMe account has been set up: https://www.gofundme.com/mikebentley

Prayers for Michael Bentley, his Family, Friends, and the Scouts involved.

Rest In Peace Michael.

God Bless!

I put some local links to the NAR Facebook page.

I know this is a very sad event
 

and I certainly do not wish to minimize any aspect of this tragedy, but I would very much like to hear exactly what "model rocket" caused this injury. I strongly suspect that this was at least a mid-power model, if not a high-power rocket. Also kinda sounds like there may have been a failure to eject/deploy, and that the rocket came back down still in ballistic flight.

Somebody needs to do some follow-up reporting on this.

I feel sad for this guy and his family, he was out there working to help scouts on his own time, and something terrible like this happens.

I suspect the NAR is already doing an all-out investigation and thinking about next steps.

At the least, there might be new safety recommendations. Which might amount to:

Heads Up means Heads Up.

Range Closed means Ranged Closed.

Pre-flight recovery system check and engine retention check, with a list of specific things to check. Maybe an educational video of a RSO inspecting a half-dozen rockets.

Very tragic.

http://www.rocketryforum.com/showth...539#post1518539

Fred points out the current 500g CA MR limit to clarify the launch was "HPR" in CA terminology "Experimental High Power Rocket". Thus to be "legal" would have to had a CA licensed Pyro-op there. Not sure if that is the case as they are few and far between. This is a bit of a non-enforcement zone in CA, but when insurance is involved that may or may not be relevant depending on how strict the insurance carrier(s) decide to be. There was a loss, there was insurance, the law was passed by the Governor and was simply scheduled to go into effect 1-1-16 for administrative reasons, to increase the CA MR mass limit to 1500g.

If however the rocket contained a motor over 160 n-s (the MR limit in CA), it would be CA EHPR anyway. We don't know.

This is why NAR (or an ad hoc committee of manufacturers and club leaders) should lobby to eliminate special CA laws and rules in this 49 state country.

The recent bill spearheaded by Shecter solved a problem for TARC (10+ years after the fact) but not for rocketeers generally beyond "model rocketry". CA still requires special stamps, special fees, special manufacturer permits, no other state requires.

His success passing a bill should be translated to the above policy proposal of mine, "eliminate special CA laws and rules".

Jerry

List of highly unlikely events:
The first fatality in NAR history
A no-ejection rocket in a head's up situation
Head's up contributed to the severity of the injury
The rocket hit a person
The rocket also hit a vulnerable portion of the person (astronomically unlikely, 1 in Billions)
A state law had been passed for the first time in decades
It was not in effect yet, but conformed to current national practice, regulations and insurance standards.
Several first responders on site could not save the victim
An absolute pillar of the community was lost

cite:
U.S. Rockets CSFM approval:
http://v-serv.com/usr/images/CSFM3.jpg
http://v-serv.com/usr/images/CSFM2.jpg

Hard evidence:
http://www.rocketryforum.com/showth...667#post1518667

My response: This was less likely than being hit by lightning twice in one week. There was nothing you could do to avoid it. It is bad for all involved and also all not. I suspect this man will receive continued support and recognition.

Let those students move on, but keep doing rocket launches in honor of your accomplished leader.

They locked up the thread over at the terribly run forum, I was surprised it lasted as long as it did. Some facts were starting to emerge that scared the H-E-double tooth picks out of the top men, can you spell future civil litigation? So Sheeple, please, no speculation or discussion on this issue, it is uncouth. Think only of the Family. Mourning, donations and prayer are of course couth. They will tells us when it is OK, but in the mean time just shut up your mouth! I for one will wait for the Blue Ribbon panel to tell me every thing is OK and finally reveal any disturbing or embarrassing facts only as needed. CNN style speculation by so called experts on forums is just too nasty, especially given the press coverage so far and that too much information has got out. So go about your business as usual, stay calm, they will take care of you, these are not the droids you are looking for.

I seldom visit TRF but from the last post there and from an eye witness it doesn't sound like it was a NAR event or club. Did I miss something?

I get the impression safety was lax to say the least with several mentions of standing next to the pad, possibly holding the rocket just before or at ignition and it came right back to the pad, means the poor guy had to be standing next to it at ignition in order to get hit. WTH??? How many code violations happened there??? Who among us would push the button with ANYONE next to the pads? I hope that was an accident or equipment failure.

I have never understood why people want to stand next to the pads at lift off and yes, there are those who do.

The actual facts should be very educational, if we ever get ALL the facts.

Randy
www.vernarockets.com
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