# Accident 20250221001139A: Amazon.Com Services LLC MK30, Pendleton, OR, February 21, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 21, 2025, 10:30 local time
- Place: Pendleton, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.7018° N, 118.8643° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7018&lon=-118.8643&mi=10
- Aircraft: N265PA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N265PA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Amazon.Com Services MK30 (registry code 06102FK, https://openairdocs.org/model/amazon-com-services-mk30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC MK30
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 600 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25LA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250221001139A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 21, 2025, A SINGLE MK30 DRONE, WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT UNDER SAC-EC AND EXPERIMENTAL AUTHORITY AT PENDLETON FLIGHT TEST FACILITY AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DURING THE LAND AND DELIVERY PHASE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE TEST WAS TO EVALUATE THE DRONE'S ABILITY TO PERFORM A SAFE CONTINGENT LAND (SCL) BY INTRODUCING A COMMERCIAL OF-THE-SHELF (COTS) DRONE ABOVE THE MK30'S FLIGHT PATH AFTER DELIVERY INTENTIONALLY TRIGGERING THE SCL FUNCTION.

THE MK30 LAUNCHED FROM NORTH GOLF TAXIWAY CONDUCTING PACKAGE DELIVERY. AFTER UNDEFINED TO THE DESIGNATED DELIVERY LOCATION, THE DRONE COMPLETED THE PACKAGE DELIVERY. WHILE HOVERING AT THE DELIVERY LOCATION A COTS DRONE WAS FLOWN INTO POSITION ABOVE THE MK30 TO INITIATE THE CONTINGENCY MANEUVER. THE MK30 BRIEFLY CLIMBED, DETECTED THE COTS DRONE AND NOMINALLY ENACTED THE SCL THEN SWITCHING THE STRAIGHT LAND MODE WITHOUT OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A GROUND OBSTACLE BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. FOLLOWING THIS SEQUENCE, THE MK30 PERFORMED A VERTICAL ASCENT TO APPROXIMATELY 15 METERS ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). THE DRONE THEN STOPPED ASCENDING, BEGAN AND OSCILLATING DESCENT, AND ULTIMATELY CAME TO REST ON THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED POSITION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR25LA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA103), Feb 21, 2025: Amazon.Com Services MK30 (N265PA), Pendleton, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The unmanned aircraft system’s failure to maintain clearance from an obstacle, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.

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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