What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 5th, 2025, the associated UAS was performing agricultural dispensing operations. During a period of hovering, one of the propeller blades broke in half, causing the UAS to fall out of the air approximately 10 feet and bending the uas' landing skid. During the investigation, it was determined that the PIC did not hold a valid class iii medical as required in the operator's training program. The operator has not been performing maintenance in accordance with their exemption, operations manual, and the manufacturer's manuals, which could have contributed to the accident due to not being properly maintained and inspected. The operator did not follow their mishap procedures in the operations manual to include obtaining permission to move the UAS after the accident, which did not allow for a complete investigation.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 5TH, 2025, THE ASSOCIATED UAS WAS PERFORMING AGRICULTURAL DISPENSING OPERATIONS. DURING A PERIOD OF HOVERING, ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES BROKE IN HALF, CAUSING THE UAS TO FALL OUT OF THE AIR APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET AND BENDING THE UAS' LANDING SKID. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PIC DID NOT HOLD A VALID CLASS III MEDICAL AS REQUIRED IN THE OPERATOR'S TRAINING PROGRAM. THE OPERATOR HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMING MAINTENANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR EXEMPTION, OPERATIONS MANUAL, AND THE MANUFACTURER'S MANUALS, WHICH COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT DUE TO NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND INSPECTED. THE OPERATOR DID NOT FOLLOW THEIR MISHAP PROCEDURES IN THE OPERATIONS MANUAL TO INCLUDE OBTAINING PERMISSION TO MOVE THE UAS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, WHICH DID NOT ALLOW FOR A COMPLETE INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.