What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Officerprivacy data omitted was flying matrice 210V2B near landa park golf course for a joint New Braunfels police swat and New Braunfels police UAS team scenario on March 8, 2022 at 2025 hrs CST. Officer privacy data omitted had been flying approximately 393 AGL when matrice dropped from sky and struck the porch roof of privacy data omittedcondominiums privacy data omitted. No people were harmed but the porch roof suffered approximately $1000 worth of damage. Flight data was reviewed and it appeared esc's malfunctioned causing the aircraft to fall. It should be noted that matrice 210V2B involved in the accident had just had all four esc(motors) replaced by drone nerds (dji authorized repair center) a little over a week prior to fallout. The matrice 210V2B was inspected (full dji recommended inspection) and compass/imu recalibrated prior to flying after receiving it back from drone nerds. The aircraft had just a little over two hours worth of logged flights since the maintenance work had been completed by privacy data omitted. When pilot/officers examined aircraft and area of crash no signs of birds were observed. Also, no obstacles were observed in the flight path. It is believed that the aircraft just had a mechanical failure.
Suggestion to reclassify this accident as an incident as this does not appear to satisfy the 49 CFR 830.2 and 8900.1 vol 7 ch 1 sec 1, para 7-4(b) second bullet definition of unmanned aircraft accident as listed below:
- Any person suffers death or serious injury; or
-The aircraft has a maximum gross takeoff weight (mgtow) of 300 pounds or greater and sustains substantial damage.
Since there was no death or serious injury the first bullet is not satisfied. Since the drone (~12 lbs) is not greater than 300 pounds. The second bullet is not satisfied. Recommendation is to change this to an incident.
As the FAA filed it
OFFICER^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FLYING MATRICE 210V2B NEAR LANDA PARK GOLF COURSE FOR A JOINT NEW BRAUNFELS POLICE SWAT AND NEW BRAUNFELS POLICE UAS TEAM SCENARIO ON MARCH 8, 2022 AT 2025 HRS CST. OFFICER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD BEEN FLYING APPROXIMATELY 393 AGL WHEN MATRICE DROPPED FROM SKY AND STRUCK THE PORCH ROOF OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^CONDOMINIUMS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. NO PEOPLE WERE HARMED BUT THE PORCH ROOF SUFFERED APPROXIMATELY $1000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. FLIGHT DATA WAS REVIEWED AND IT APPEARED ESC'S MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FALL. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MATRICE 210V2B INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT HAD JUST HAD ALL FOUR ESC(MOTORS) REPLACED BY DRONE NERDS (DJI AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTER) A LITTLE OVER A WEEK PRIOR TO FALLOUT. THE MATRICE 210V2B WAS INSPECTED (FULL DJI RECOMMENDED INSPECTION) AND COMPASS/IMU RECALIBRATED PRIOR TO FLYING AFTER RECEIVING IT BACK FROM DRONE NERDS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST A LITTLE OVER TWO HOURS WORTH OF LOGGED FLIGHTS SINCE THE MAINTENANCE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. WHEN PILOT/OFFICERS EXAMINED AIRCRAFT AND AREA OF CRASH NO SIGNS OF BIRDS WERE OBSERVED. ALSO, NO OBSTACLES WERE OBSERVED IN THE FLIGHT PATH. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE AIRCRAFT JUST HAD A MECHANICAL FAILURE.
SUGGESTION TO RECLASSIFY THIS ACCIDENT AS AN INCIDENT AS THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO SATISFY THE 49 CFR 830.2 AND 8900.1 VOL 7 CH 1 SEC 1, PARA 7-4(B) SECOND BULLET DEFINITION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT AS LISTED BELOW:
- ANY PERSON SUFFERS DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY; OR
-THE AIRCRAFT HAS A MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT (MGTOW) OF 300 POUNDS OR GREATER AND SUSTAINS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
SINCE THERE WAS NO DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY THE FIRST BULLET IS NOT SATISFIED. SINCE THE DRONE (~12 LBS) IS NOT GREATER THAN 300 POUNDS. THE SECOND BULLET IS NOT SATISFIED. RECOMMENDATION IS TO CHANGE THIS TO AN INCIDENT.