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Reward Offered in Rocket’s Close Call with Houston Jet
Houston Chronicle ^ | June 15, 2009 | Dale Lezon and Cindy Horswell

Posted on 06/15/2009 2:20:02 PM PDT by pkajj

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information what appeared to be a model rocket that nearly missed a Continental Express jet late last month.

The rocket sizzled past the plane after it took off from Bush Intercontinental Airport about 8 p.m. on May 29, officials said. Investigators determined it lifted off somewhere in Chambers County, but they have been unable to find out who launched it.

Ken DeFoor, chief deputy of the Liberty County sheriff's office, said the incident has generated several leads his office has turned over to the FBI. He declined to elaborate. The jet carried four crew members and 29 passengers.

As the jet climbed to 13,000 feet shortly after takeoff, the pilot and first officer reported seeing the rocket soaring toward them. It appeared to pass about 100 feet below the jetliner. The crew members described the rocket as being about five feet to seven feet long with triangular tail fins. They said it was white.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477 or on-line at www.crime-stoppers.org. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for any information that leads to the identification, arrest and/or charging of any suspect involved in criminal activity related to the incident. All tipsters remain anonymous.

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: airlines; faa; missileattack; movealong; nationalsecurity; nothingtoseehere; rockets
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To: al baby; Xenalyte
Sorta like Gorillas in the Mist but different

We have a few of those, too.

I think Leroy down the road is trying to make 'em work in his meth lab.

Cheaper than illegals and unable to testify.

We have heard rumors of monkeys in the trees around here for years.

Ask Xenalyte, she knows.

21 posted on 06/15/2009 2:40:37 PM PDT by humblegunner
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To: texmexis best
"Just heli over the area thought to be the launch area and look for some scorched field. "

Or crop circles.

22 posted on 06/15/2009 2:40:46 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Big Ears + Big Spending --> BigEarMarx, the man behind TOTUS)
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To: pkajj
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information what appeared to be a model rocket that nearly missed a Continental Express jet late last month.

If it nearly missed the jet, does that mean it HIT the jet?

23 posted on 06/15/2009 2:43:46 PM PDT by VRWCmember
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To: pkajj

Of course it was just some kid making a missle in his garage, you know like Billy Bob in the movie of which the name escapes me. I am sure if it was launched as they say and it being a model, I am sure someone will step forward. People with kind of hobby do not go unnoticed.


24 posted on 06/15/2009 2:46:23 PM PDT by Bruinator (It's the Media.............Stupid)
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To: Doogle

Just like the two airplanes that had a “near miss.” Like George Carlin used to say, that’s more like a “near hit.”


25 posted on 06/15/2009 2:52:23 PM PDT by reaganbooster (The democrat party symbol should be the grim reaper instead of the donkey.)
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To: pkajj

Bookmark


26 posted on 06/15/2009 2:55:55 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: pkajj
2 1/2 miles up sounds like a Try or a practice try at hitting the Airliner.??
27 posted on 06/15/2009 2:59:38 PM PDT by Cheetahcat (Zero the Wright kind of Racist! We are in a state of War with Democrats)
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To: ConorMacNessa
Nearly missed? Wouldn't that mean it hit?

You'd think... IOW, yes—but barely!

28 posted on 06/15/2009 3:02:02 PM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: pkajj
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
29 posted on 06/15/2009 3:02:55 PM PDT by randog (Tap into America!)
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To: texmexis best

Launch from a pad and hose it down.


30 posted on 06/15/2009 3:06:48 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: cripplecreek

The world’s largest model rocket (a Saturn V duplicate with 8 N class engines and a giant P class engine) reached 4,000 feet.

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/04/largest-flying.php

At 13,000 feet, this was no model rocket.


31 posted on 06/15/2009 3:10:20 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: pkajj

So just hypothetically, say this rocket was launched by an evildoer...the official investigative approach is to home someone calls Crime Stoppers??


32 posted on 06/15/2009 3:11:55 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: Jewbacca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcWU5PLhU6k&feature=response_watch


33 posted on 06/15/2009 3:14:01 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: Young Werther
One of the reasons that the Clinton administration said that Flight 800 could NOT have been shot down by a land-based, surface-to-air missle is that none of them could go to 13,000 - 15,000 feet in the air.

But apparently, it's not a big stretch for a hobbyist rocket to get to that altitude.

Very interesting.

34 posted on 06/15/2009 3:14:36 PM PDT by willgolfforfood
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To: pkajj
So, it didn't happen.

But now it did.

And it's a HOBBY rocket.

Except the FBI is interested.

But it's not terrorism.

Y'see.

35 posted on 06/15/2009 3:17:22 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Too sick for words!)
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To: willgolfforfood
A hobby rocket.

Like this older Soviet SAM.


36 posted on 06/15/2009 3:21:22 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Too sick for words!)
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To: Lazamataz

I’ve hunted the “sport” rocket groups.

I couldn’t find any that reached more than 4,000 feet.


37 posted on 06/15/2009 3:24:44 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: pkajj
http://retrothing.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/06/jetrocket.jpg

38 posted on 06/15/2009 3:39:22 PM PDT by wolficatZ (Divest from the left. Unconditionally.)
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To: willgolfforfood
I have observed amateur rocket launches at the Dallas Area Rocket society launch at Frisco Texas. Since their rockets have reached 22,000' they must get FAA approval to launch their missiles.

The TWA 800 shootdown occurred at about 10,000 feet and the Soviet shoulder fired missiles have the range to accomplish the shoot down.

BTW when the autopsies were being comducted one of the forensic aides observed that the x-rays of the victims showed a great deal of shrapnel! the tech was fired by the FBI chief who was there to interfere with the NTSB crash investigators! I wonder why those xrays were classified!

39 posted on 06/15/2009 3:41:01 PM PDT by Young Werther (Julius Caesar (Quae Cum Ita Sunt. Since these things are so.))
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To: dinoparty

You need a bigger imagination. The National Association of Rocketry and the Tripoli Rocketry Association are both hobby organizations for high powered model rocketry. These guys are serious, and the ones I've met really love what they do.

40 posted on 06/15/2009 3:51:34 PM PDT by sig226 (Real power is not the ability to destroy an enemy. It is the willingness to do it.)
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