What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 16, 2024, two MK30 UAS were operating under sac-ec and experimental authority at the Pendleton, Oregon flight test facility and were involved in separate accidents during the landing phase. Both drones were launched 4 minutes apart from each other, departing the north golf taxiway, where drone 1 and drone 2 were conducting a package delivery. Drone 1, on return to the home station, began the transition phase of flight to vtol mode for landing. Once above the landing pad on north golf, the propellers ceased to function, resulting in a crash landing from 66 meters above ground level, impacting the ground. Four minutes later, drone 2 was performing the same maneuver, transitioning to vtol to land, and experienced the same issue. The failure of the propellers caused the drone to fall 56 meters, impacting the ground. The entire event was contained, and there were no injuries or damage to third-party property.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 16, 2024, TWO MK30 UAS WERE OPERATING UNDER SAC-EC AND EXPERIMENTAL AUTHORITY AT THE PENDLETON, OREGON FLIGHT TEST FACILITY AND WERE INVOLVED IN SEPARATE ACCIDENTS DURING THE LANDING PHASE. BOTH DRONES WERE LAUNCHED 4 MINUTES APART FROM EACH OTHER, DEPARTING THE NORTH GOLF TAXIWAY, WHERE DRONE 1 AND DRONE 2 WERE CONDUCTING A PACKAGE DELIVERY. DRONE 1, ON RETURN TO THE HOME STATION, BEGAN THE TRANSITION PHASE OF FLIGHT TO VTOL MODE FOR LANDING. ONCE ABOVE THE LANDING PAD ON NORTH GOLF, THE PROPELLERS CEASED TO FUNCTION, RESULTING IN A CRASH LANDING FROM 66 METERS ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, IMPACTING THE GROUND. FOUR MINUTES LATER, DRONE 2 WAS PERFORMING THE SAME MANEUVER, TRANSITIONING TO VTOL TO LAND, AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THE FAILURE OF THE PROPELLERS CAUSED THE DRONE TO FALL 56 METERS, IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE ENTIRE EVENT WAS CONTAINED, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THIRD-PARTY PROPERTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.