# Accident 20230118002409A: Victorville, CA, January 18, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 18, 2023, 10:20 local time
- Place: Victorville, CA
- Airport: Southern California Logistics
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Location: 34.5955° N, 117.3827° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOGISTICS (VCV), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5955&lon=-117.3827&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/20230118002409A

## Narrative

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

AN MQ-9 DRONE BELONGING TO THE USAF WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT KVCV WHILE BE OPERATED BY A PRIVATE COMPANY, I3, ON 01/18/2023. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 17 AT KVCV DURING DAY VFR CONDITIONS WITH CALM WINDS REPORTED. AT SOME POINT DURING DEPARTURE THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TO THE LEFT (EAST) SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ITS LANDING GEAR, PROP STRUCK THE GROUND, COLLAPSED INTO UNGROOMED EARTH, AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE PROPELLER DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE NOSE WHEEL APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT, ALONG WITH A NOSE OPTICAL SENSOR ASSEMBLY. THE EMPENNAGE AND ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND WERE MOSTLY DESTROYED BEFORE FIRE CREWS PUT OUT THE BLAZE. AIRPORT PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THAT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXITING RUNWAY 17, IT STRUCK AND DESTROYED A RUNWAY EDGE LIGHT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WORKING THE AIRCRAFT STATED THAT THEY BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT OPERATORS HAD LOST COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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