# Incident 20240814010749I: Hood Tech Corp Mechanical Inc HTMC-40-PLUS, Pendleton, OR, August 14, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 14, 2024, 14:35 local time
- Place: Pendleton, OR
- Airport: Eastern Oregon Regional Airpor
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.6951° N, 118.8434° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at EASTERN OREGON RGNL AT PENDLETON (PDT), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6951&lon=-118.8434&mi=10
- Aircraft: N60MC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N60MC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hood Tech Corp Mechanical HTMC-40-PLUS (registry code 061013S, https://openairdocs.org/model/hood-tech-corp-mechanical-htmc-40-plus) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HOOD TECH CORP MECHANICAL INC HTMC-40-PLUS
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240814010749I

## Narrative

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

A GPS FAILURE DURING A MARITIME FLARES UAS TRAINING EVENT TRIGGERED LAND MODE, WHICH RESULTED IN STEADY DESCENT AND DOWNWIND DRIFT OF THE MULTI-COPTER.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS TETHERED TO AN ARTICULATING AND TRANSLATING FLATBED TRAILER (SHIP DECK SIMULATOR).  THE OPERATOR IS AFT-FACING FROM THE BACK DOOR OF THE TOW VEHICLE.

THE STUDENT OPERATOR’S INITIAL JOYSTICK RESPONSE TO THE GPS FAILURE WAS CORRECT.  THEN THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF-COURSE AND OUT OF SIGHT.  IT IMPACTED THE SURFACE, CLIMBED ABOVE 100 FEET AGL OVERTURNED AND IMPACTED A SECOND TIME.  SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTED.  NO PERSONNEL INJURIES OR FIRE WAS OBSERVED.

ROOT CAUSE: A FATIGUED WIRE CRIMP FAILED, WHICH CUT POWER TO THE GPS RECEIVER.  SUBSEQUENT OPERATOR INPUT CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND GROUND IMPACT.

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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