# Rutan Cited for Explosion at Scaled Last Year

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rutan-cited-for-explosion-at-scaled-last-year/434187>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 19, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rutan-cited-for-explosion-at-scaled-last-year/434187 "2008-01-19T20:49:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rutan-cited-for-explosion-at-scaled-last-year/434187/1 "2008-01-19T20:49:41Z")

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[Lack of training determined to be the cause.](http://www.space.com/news/080118-scaled-accident-citations.html)

> [@](#):
>
> The citations, issued Thursday, faulted the Mojave, Calif.-based firm for failing to provide “effective information and training of the health and physical hazards associated with nitrous oxide,” a compound used during a July 26 test that ended in an explosion, killing three employees and injured three others at the Mojave Air and Space Port.

I find that surprising. Rutan doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy to be casual about safety.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rutan-cited-for-explosion-at-scaled-last-year/434187/2 "2008-01-19T21:10:29Z")

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The Sontarans were probably behind it.

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**Author:** ![giant\_freakin\_marine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9fc348/32.png) [@giant\_freakin\_marine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/giant_freakin_marine)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rutan-cited-for-explosion-at-scaled-last-year/434187/3 "2008-01-20T01:25:23Z")

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[QUOTE=Tuckerfan]  
[Lack of training determined to be the cause.](http://www.space.com/news/080118-scaled-accident-citations.html)I find that surprising. Rutan doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy to be casual about safety.  
[/QUOTE]

Was down there several times in the late 80’s and was impressed with the levels of training and safety that were strictly adhered to. Would be really shocked if anything had changed. I think it’s probably like a NTSB report on a crash. You know it will include the phrase “pilot error.”