# Accident 20070824022539A: Raythn COBRA, Huachuca City, AZ, August 24, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 24, 2007, 12:27 local time
- Place: Huachuca City, AZ
- Airport: Whetstone
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.7286° N, 110.2858° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7286&lon=-110.2858&mi=10
- Aircraft: N605RN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N605RN-2007-10-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Raytheon COBRA (registry code 061001A, https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-cobra) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Desert ACF DA-150 (registry code 20500, https://openairdocs.org/engine/desert-acf-da-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RAYTHN COBRA
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,922 total, 52 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA07IA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07IA237) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070824022539A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23)ON AUGUST 24,2007, AT 1227 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A RAYTHEON COBRA UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (UAS), N605RN, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, NEAR WHETSTONE, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY RAYTHEON COMPANY OF TUCSON, ARIZONA. THE GROUND BASED FLIGHT CREW WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE 14 CFR, PART 91 TEST FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP USED FOR UAS TESTING AND WAS ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING AT THE AIRSTRIP WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OPERATOR, THE PURPOSES OF THE DAY'S FLIGHTS WERE TO EVALUATE A SOFTWARE UPGRADE TO THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM, CONTINUE EVALUATION OF THE AUTOMATIC TAKEOFF AND LANDING SYSTEM, AND CONDUCT PILOT TRAINING. THREE PILOTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION: A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, A STUDENT PILOT, AND A SUPPLEMENTAL PILOT (EXTERNAL). ADDITIONALLY, AN OBSERVER WAS PRESENT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE EIGHTH FLIGHT OF THE DAY. SEE ATTACHED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA07IA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07IA237), Aug 24, 2007: Raytheon Cobra (N605RN), Whetstone, AZ, incident, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to follow proper procedures, specifically not verifying that the mode switch was in the automatic position before changing the pilot address, which resulted in a loss of…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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