20200728021009A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aircraft · Hershey, NE · July 28, 2020

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal NTSB investigation search

Date: July 28, 2020 · 11:30 local
Place: Hershey, NE
Phase of flight: Climb
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: UAS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total150 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Registration number: FA3N4PMCCN

Make and model: dji matrice 200

UAS s/n - 0FZDF1Q0P20014

Remote pilot certificate number: privacy data omitted

While operating a UAS (drone) for surveying operation of a corn field, the pilot was taking off and climbing to altitude. On climb out the drone encountered a gust of wind blowing it into the edge of a tree line. The drone struck tree branches damaging one of the four props. The drone became uncontrollable and fell 25 feet landing on the company truck causing damage to the windshield and hood.

As the FAA filed it

REGISTRATION NUMBER: FA3N4PMCCN

MAKE AND MODEL: DJI MATRICE 200

UAS S/N - 0FZDF1Q0P20014

REMOTE PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

WHILE OPERATING A UAS (DRONE) FOR SURVEYING OPERATION OF A CORN FIELD, THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF AND CLIMBING TO ALTITUDE. ON CLIMB OUT THE DRONE ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND BLOWING IT INTO THE EDGE OF A TREE LINE. THE DRONE STRUCK TREE BRANCHES DAMAGING ONE OF THE FOUR PROPS. THE DRONE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND FELL 25 FEET LANDING ON THE COMPANY TRUCK CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD AND HOOD.