Abstract:
On 27 February 1993, when a one-stage Orion sounding rocket was undergoing testing before its scheduled launch the next day, the small battery-powered device, which was used to test the rocket's ignition system, released too much charge thereby causing the rocket to ignite, burst off its in its integration stand, kill a technician in its horizontal path, and damage two buildings.

The cause of the accident was attributed to the way in which the small battery-powered gauge was used to test the rocket's electronic system prior to its scheduled launched. According to Swedish government officials, this US-made ignitor tester has caused two similar incidents at American launch sites. The head of launch services at the Esrange launch site in Northern Sweden, Jan Englund, said: "The way this equipment works is really a trap, and two American companies have told us that similar problems have happened to them". Englund has issued a warning to those using this equipment because of its wide use: "This is a standard piece of equipment that is used just about everywhere and has been used for 25 years".

Typically, the US-made tester, Alinco model 101-5CFG, is designed to see if a rocket's ignition is working correctly by releasing a weak charge to the rocket's ignitor.

What happened in the Swedish launch site was that new batteries that did not perfectly fit in the tester were installed. To fit perfectly, the batteries had to be closed in the tester with the battery hold; but the batteries installed did fit without the battery holder. Without the batter holder, there was no power-blocking equipment to prevent excess charge. Unfortunately, the technician who installed the new batteries was not aware of this.