What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Operator is fbi under coa 2019-AHQ-909-COA. UAS is an aerovironment wasp fixed wing UAS, serial number 0094
Frequency s band
Mission altitude 400 ft AGL.
This was the second flight of the mission being flown by an rpic and two visual observers. The first flight was successful. About five (5) minutes into the second flight, the aircraft lost command link and initiated a pre-planned return-to-home procedure. While turning to the final waypoint, the aircraft banked steeply and collided with a tree.
Later analysis showed that the UAS inverted while in a descent to landing (which is the normal landing sequence for this aircraft). The rpic advised he regained link and turned to avoid a tree. The UAS then collided with another tree. The aircraft was recovered and sustained damage to the leading-edge of one wing. It is believed the aircraft can be repaired. There were no injuries or property damage (other than to the UAS). The fbi is still conducting analysis to determine if there was a system failure or other reason for the incident.
Causal factor ? Operation in remote area with no available runway. UAS lost link with operator and performed lost link procedures. On return the UAS was flying a preprogramed route to an unimproved area and hit a tree. Recommendation- determine the cause of lost link and update/repair the UAS communication system. Learn why the return programming hit the tree. If able, fine tune the programing for better recovery of UAS during lost com link. Actions- fbi is investigating the cause of this incident.
Task sas T-AL03-FY21-0449
Activity sas AL03202102144
As the FAA filed it
OPERATOR IS FBI UNDER COA 2019-AHQ-909-COA. UAS IS AN AEROVIRONMENT WASP FIXED WING UAS, SERIAL NUMBER 0094
FREQUENCY S BAND
MISSION ALTITUDE 400 FT AGL.
THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT OF THE MISSION BEING FLOWN BY AN RPIC AND TWO VISUAL OBSERVERS. THE FIRST FLIGHT WAS SUCCESSFUL. ABOUT FIVE (5) MINUTES INTO THE SECOND FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT LOST COMMAND LINK AND INITIATED A PRE-PLANNED RETURN-TO-HOME PROCEDURE. WHILE TURNING TO THE FINAL WAYPOINT, THE AIRCRAFT BANKED STEEPLY AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE.
LATER ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE UAS INVERTED WHILE IN A DESCENT TO LANDING (WHICH IS THE NORMAL LANDING SEQUENCE FOR THIS AIRCRAFT). THE RPIC ADVISED HE REGAINED LINK AND TURNED TO AVOID A TREE. THE UAS THEN COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER TREE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEADING-EDGE OF ONE WING. IT IS BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT CAN BE REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE (OTHER THAN TO THE UAS). THE FBI IS STILL CONDUCTING ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A SYSTEM FAILURE OR OTHER REASON FOR THE INCIDENT.
CAUSAL FACTOR ? OPERATION IN REMOTE AREA WITH NO AVAILABLE RUNWAY. UAS LOST LINK WITH OPERATOR AND PERFORMED LOST LINK PROCEDURES. ON RETURN THE UAS WAS FLYING A PREPROGRAMED ROUTE TO AN UNIMPROVED AREA AND HIT A TREE. RECOMMENDATION- DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF LOST LINK AND UPDATE/REPAIR THE UAS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM. LEARN WHY THE RETURN PROGRAMMING HIT THE TREE. IF ABLE, FINE TUNE THE PROGRAMING FOR BETTER RECOVERY OF UAS DURING LOST COM LINK. ACTIONS- FBI IS INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT.
TASK SAS T-AL03-FY21-0449
ACTIVITY SAS AL03202102144