PHOTO 11 -- Flight C-35, Aug. 1984
 | Less than one second after liftoff, a failure of a safety bolt in the C-400 motor caused the sudden release of chamber pressure, blowing the propellant into the rocket body (seen flaming out of the rear), and caused the motor to be ejected (visible in approximate middle of smoke trail). Rocket rose to about 100 feet before falling to the ground. Investigation detemined that new safety bolts, which secured the motor head , were understrength. Out of more than 50 flights, it is worth noting that only two motor failures occurred. |
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