What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On or about January 10, 2023, at approximately 1400 eastern standard time (EST), a dji phantom, a small unmanned aircraft system (suas), bearing FAA registration number FA3HCWTTRE, being operated under title 14 code of federal regulations part 107, experienced a catastrophic malfunction during flight and fell approximately 200 feet into a large solar panel. Visual flight rules weather prevailed, with Battle Creek executive airport (kbtl) reporting the following
METAR:
METAR kbtl 101953Z 14007KT 8SM OVC024 03/01 A2990 rmk AO2 SLP134 T00330011
The remote pilot in command of the suas at the time of the incident was beverley ann walker (004452464). Walker stated that dronebase contracted her to conduct an aerial mapping mission of a large “solar farm” owned by invenergy near Battle Creek, MI. Walker reported that the incident flight occurred on her first flight of the day. Walker said that when she arrived at the site, she set up the suas and completed all preflight checks per the manufacturer’s operations manual. Walker recalled that after all preflight checks and system tests passed, she launched the suas for its first flight of the mapping mission. Walker stated that the suas climbed to the desired altitude without incident, and upon reaching its altitude, the suas proceeded to track toward its first waypoint. Walker said she heard a pop less than a minute later and observed the suas tumbling out of control and falling from the sky into the solar farm.
Walker stated that she heard the drone impact something, and she immediately tried to manipulate the controls of the suas in an attempt to determine its location. Walker reported that she did not have any signal, connection, or feed to assist in locating the suas. Walker then contacted invenergy, and they sent representatives who gave her access to the solar farm to try and locate the suas. After searching for about forty minutes, the search proved unsuccessful.
Walker stated she returned four days later to complete the mapping mission with a second suas, and while flying over the solar farm, she observed the suas that was lost four days earlier lodged into one of the solar panels. Walker then contacted invenergy and advised them of where she located the suas
As the FAA filed it
ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 10, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST), A DJI PHANTOM, A SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM (SUAS), BEARING FAA REGISTRATION NUMBER FA3HCWTTRE, BEING OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 107, EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC MALFUNCTION DURING FLIGHT AND FELL APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET INTO A LARGE SOLAR PANEL. VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WEATHER PREVAILED, WITH BATTLE CREEK EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KBTL) REPORTING THE FOLLOWING
METAR:
METAR KBTL 101953Z 14007KT 8SM OVC024 03/01 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP134 T00330011
THE REMOTE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE SUAS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS BEVERLEY ANN WALKER (004452464). WALKER STATED THAT DRONEBASE CONTRACTED HER TO CONDUCT AN AERIAL MAPPING MISSION OF A LARGE “SOLAR FARM” OWNED BY INVENERGY NEAR BATTLE CREEK, MI. WALKER REPORTED THAT THE INCIDENT FLIGHT OCCURRED ON HER FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY. WALKER SAID THAT WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT THE SITE, SHE SET UP THE SUAS AND COMPLETED ALL PREFLIGHT CHECKS PER THE MANUFACTURER’S OPERATIONS MANUAL. WALKER RECALLED THAT AFTER ALL PREFLIGHT CHECKS AND SYSTEM TESTS PASSED, SHE LAUNCHED THE SUAS FOR ITS FIRST FLIGHT OF THE MAPPING MISSION. WALKER STATED THAT THE SUAS CLIMBED TO THE DESIRED ALTITUDE WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND UPON REACHING ITS ALTITUDE, THE SUAS PROCEEDED TO TRACK TOWARD ITS FIRST WAYPOINT. WALKER SAID SHE HEARD A POP LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER AND OBSERVED THE SUAS TUMBLING OUT OF CONTROL AND FALLING FROM THE SKY INTO THE SOLAR FARM.
WALKER STATED THAT SHE HEARD THE DRONE IMPACT SOMETHING, AND SHE IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO MANIPULATE THE CONTROLS OF THE SUAS IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE ITS LOCATION. WALKER REPORTED THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGNAL, CONNECTION, OR FEED TO ASSIST IN LOCATING THE SUAS. WALKER THEN CONTACTED INVENERGY, AND THEY SENT REPRESENTATIVES WHO GAVE HER ACCESS TO THE SOLAR FARM TO TRY AND LOCATE THE SUAS. AFTER SEARCHING FOR ABOUT FORTY MINUTES, THE SEARCH PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL.
WALKER STATED SHE RETURNED FOUR DAYS LATER TO COMPLETE THE MAPPING MISSION WITH A SECOND SUAS, AND WHILE FLYING OVER THE SOLAR FARM, SHE OBSERVED THE SUAS THAT WAS LOST FOUR DAYS EARLIER LODGED INTO ONE OF THE SOLAR PANELS. WALKER THEN CONTACTED INVENERGY AND ADVISED THEM OF WHERE SHE LOCATED THE SUAS