20230728020089I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Aircraft · O'Fallon, MO · July 28, 2023

Date: July 28, 2023 · 12:05 local
Place: O'Fallon, MO
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: NONE
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On July 28, 2023 the remote PIC was conducting a flight for data collection with a second operator on the controls. The rpic stated the operator performed data checks before flight. The UAS began to climb but within 2 seconds, banked right and struck the van the rpic and operator arrived in. The rpic reported minimal damage to the van, just a dent and some scratches. The rpic stated he was on the other side of the van with no visual on the UAS when the incident happened.

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 28, 2023 THE REMOTE PIC WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT FOR DATA COLLECTION WITH A SECOND OPERATOR ON THE CONTROLS. THE RPIC STATED THE OPERATOR PERFORMED DATA CHECKS BEFORE FLIGHT. THE UAS BEGAN TO CLIMB BUT WITHIN 2 SECONDS, BANKED RIGHT AND STRUCK THE VAN THE RPIC AND OPERATOR ARRIVED IN. THE RPIC REPORTED MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE VAN, JUST A DENT AND SOME SCRATCHES. THE RPIC STATED HE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VAN WITH NO VISUAL ON THE UAS WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED.