Investigators believe model rocket buzzed jet Investigators believe model rocket buzzed Continental jet

Investigators believe the object that narrowly missed a Continental Express jet a week ago was a civilian-made rocket — described as a white cylinder about 5 to 7 feet long with triangular fins on its tail — rather than a military missile.

The description came from debriefing the jet’s pilot and copilot who spotted a rocket with a long white vapor trail headed directly toward their cockpit at 16,000 feet shortly after they took off from George Bush Intercontinental Airport about 8 p.m. on May 29, authorities said. The flight was carrying 23 passengers to Greenville, S.C.

This is the second time in little over a year that a Continental plane has encountered a rocket-like object in its air space shortly after taking off from Houston Intercontinental.

The first incident occurred last year on Memorial Day. It involved a Continental plane which was only a minute away from colliding with a rocket that shot past the cockpit window. The plane, which was carrying 148 passengers to Cleveland, was much lower in the sky — about 4,750 feet — than the Express jet.

According to recorded radio dispatches on the first incident, the pilot reported that a rocket was on his “12 o’clock” (in front of his plane) just as he as he flew over Lake Houston in Harris County.

Investigators were never able to determine who launched the suspected model rocket that came within one or two miles of the plane that was traveling at 277 mph.

But in the second case, Liberty County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Ken DeFoor said the rocket was flying horizontally and directly toward the airplane — rather vertically. “The object may have reached its apex and leveled out before starting its descent,” DeFoor said.

Another search planned

Also, authorities now think the object was launched from Chambers County rather than Liberty County as earlier reported.

The FAA tracked the flight paths and calculated that the second rocket was fired from the northeast corner of Chambers County. The airliner then encountered the rocket about 2 to 4 miles north of Interstate 10.

“Whenever the rocket fell to the ground, it would have hit somewhere in western Chambers County or eastern Harris County,” DeFoor said.

Investigators will use a helicopter to search this area on Monday for any sign of the rocket. “If it had a parachute, as some do, it might have gotten entangled in the trees or something,” DeFoor said.

DeFoor also asked residents to contact the sheriff’s department (936-336-4500) if they have any information about the incident.

No model rocket clubs reported having any launches on Memorial weekend, authorities said. DeFoor said a permit would be needed to launch a rocket traveling to such a high elevation and none had been granted.

cindy.horswell@chron.com