# Incident 20211126022629I: Trinity, NC, November 26, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 26, 2021, 13:35 local time
- Place: Trinity, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Location: 35.8768° N, 80.0104° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Trinity, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8768&lon=-80.0104&mi=10
- Aircraft: NONE (not matched to a registry record)
- People aboard: 0
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211126022629I

## Narrative

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

I ARRIVED AT THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ JOBSITE, LOCATED AT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, TRINITY, NC 27370.  THIS WAS THE SECOND JOBSITE I HAD VISITED ON THIS DAY.  THE AIRCRAFT OPERATED FLAWLESSLY AT THE FIRST LOCATION.  I HAVE OPERATED THIS SAME AIRCRAFT AT THE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOCATION, PERFORMING THE SAME PRE-PLANNED AUTONOMOUS MISSION, NO LESS THAN SIXTEEN TIMES OVER THE PAST FOUR MONTHS WITH NO INCIDENTS.  WHILE PERFORMING ASSEMBLY AND PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT, I NOTICED WHAT I PERCEIVED TO BE GUNSHOTS OFF IN THE DISTANCE.  I DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS AS THE AREA IS KNOWN TO BE POPULAR FOR HUNTING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.  I PROCEEDED TO UPLOAD THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MISSION TO THE AIRCRAFT AND AFTER FINAL CHECKS, LAUNCHED THE AIRCRAFT TO COMPLETE THE MISSION.  THE DRONE FLEW TO ITS FIRST WAYPOINT AND BEGAN FLYING THE GRID PATTERN NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE DESIRED MAPPING MISSION.  APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES INTO THE MISSION, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY LOST CONNECTION WITH THE CONTROLLER AND IMMEDIATELY FELL FROM A HEIGHT OF 210FT AGL.  I AM UNABLE TO SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT A GUN WAS FIRED AT THE TIME THE AIRCRAFT FAILED, AS MY HEARING WAS IMPAIRED BY A BULLDOZER THAT WAS BEING OPERATED AT THE JOBSITE DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD.  ONCE IT WAS CLEAR THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED, I PACKED UP THE REST OF MY EQUIPMENT AND BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE WRECKAGE.  UPON LOCATING THE CRASH SITE AT 35.886214, -80.003967, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK PICTURES OF THE WRECKAGE BEFORE MOVING ANY OF THE COMPONENTS.  WHEN I DID EVENTUALLY RETRIEVE THE AIRCRAFT, I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A BULLET HOLE ON THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.  IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE PURPOSELY BEEN TARGETED AND SHOT DOWN.  I CONTACTED MY EMPLOYER?S OFFICE AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE AND FILE A REPORT.  I THEN CONTACTED THE RANDOLPH COUNTY SHERRIFF?S OFFICE AND REQUESTED AN OFFICE BE SENT TO MY LOCATION.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RESPONDED TO THE CALL AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE PICTURES AND FILE AN OFFICIAL REPORT (OCA: 210028012).  AFTER COMPLETING THE REPORT WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, I RETURNED HOME WITH THE AIRCRAFT IN MY POSSESSION.  ON SATURDAY 11/27/2021, I REMOVED THE BOTTOM COVER FROM THE AIRCRAFT, IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER THE MICROSD CARD, AND DISCOVERED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A BULLET INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT.  I REMOVED THE OBJECT FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND PLACED IT IN A SMALL BAG.  I REPLACED THE BOTTOM COVER AND PACKAGED THE AIRCRAFT FOR SHIPMENT BACK THE MANUFACTURER FOR REPLACEMENT.

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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