What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Remote certificated pilot, privacy data omitted, was operating a matrice 210, registration number FA34NX9H7W, while conducting a a suas familiarization class for new team members. According to privacy data omitted, he was operating the suas as the pilot in charge, and was attempting to maneuver the aircraft for better imagery of the contents of a trash can located in a sports field. The suas was at level flight and maneuvering side to side during the incident. The suas then made contact with a tree in a wooded area on the edge of the field. Both privacy data omitted and the visual observers had a direct, straight line of sight with the suas, and all believed the aircraft appeared to be located directly over the immediate area of the trash can. Instead, the aircraft was approximately 70-80 feet past the trash can and against a tree line on the edge of the field. The impact to the tree caused the aircraft to lose lift, which resulted in a subsequent crash landing. The impact of the tree and ground caused damage to the propellers, frame arms, shackles, camera gimbal mounts, rain shield, batteries, and the battery mounting system.
The familiarization class was being held by the caroline county fire department, however, the operation was not covered under the fire department's certificate of authorization (coa) for public use operation.
The observers were not in close proximity to the aircraft at the time of the incident.
Sas task id: T-EA21-FY21-0135
As the FAA filed it
REMOTE CERTIFICATED PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS OPERATING A MATRICE 210, REGISTRATION NUMBER FA34NX9H7W, WHILE CONDUCTING A A SUAS FAMILIARIZATION CLASS FOR NEW TEAM MEMBERS. ACCORDING TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HE WAS OPERATING THE SUAS AS THE PILOT IN CHARGE, AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT FOR BETTER IMAGERY OF THE CONTENTS OF A TRASH CAN LOCATED IN A SPORTS FIELD. THE SUAS WAS AT LEVEL FLIGHT AND MANEUVERING SIDE TO SIDE DURING THE INCIDENT. THE SUAS THEN MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE IN A WOODED AREA ON THE EDGE OF THE FIELD. BOTH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND THE VISUAL OBSERVERS HAD A DIRECT, STRAIGHT LINE OF SIGHT WITH THE SUAS, AND ALL BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE LOCATED DIRECTLY OVER THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE TRASH CAN. INSTEAD, THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 70-80 FEET PAST THE TRASH CAN AND AGAINST A TREE LINE ON THE EDGE OF THE FIELD. THE IMPACT TO THE TREE CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO LOSE LIFT, WHICH RESULTED IN A SUBSEQUENT CRASH LANDING. THE IMPACT OF THE TREE AND GROUND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLERS, FRAME ARMS, SHACKLES, CAMERA GIMBAL MOUNTS, RAIN SHIELD, BATTERIES, AND THE BATTERY MOUNTING SYSTEM.
THE FAMILIARIZATION CLASS WAS BEING HELD BY THE CAROLINE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, HOWEVER, THE OPERATION WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION (COA) FOR PUBLIC USE OPERATION.
THE OBSERVERS WERE NOT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
SAS TASK ID: T-EA21-FY21-0135