What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Prior to takeoff, weather, airspace, and other operational factors were reviewed by the UAS team. A crew briefing was conducted to establish roles, observer positions, and contingency plans, including identification of an alternate landing site. Visual observers were positioned along the final approach path, while the ground control operator maintained visual line of sight near the runway. The operating surface was a non-standard, makeshift runway established along a racetrack straightaway.
During the initial flight, the UAS departed from the intended runway without issue and demonstrated solid performance during climb-out.
In preparation for landing, multiple inspection passes were flown along the approach path to evaluate terrain, slope, and obstacle clearance. These passes indicated adequate separation from obstacles. Based on these observations and the aircraft’s performance, the pilot proceeded with the autonomous landing.
During the final approach, approximately 60 feet above ground level, the aircraft’s left wing contacted the tallest tree along the approach path. This contact led to a descent that could not be corrected, and the aircraft subsequently struck a power line before contacting the hard surface coming to rest on the racetrack safety barrier. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There were no reported injuries. The fire department and hazmat team responded to the scene; however, no fire or contamination was detected.
As the FAA filed it
PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, WEATHER, AIRSPACE, AND OTHER OPERATIONAL FACTORS WERE REVIEWED BY THE UAS TEAM. A CREW BRIEFING WAS CONDUCTED TO ESTABLISH ROLES, OBSERVER POSITIONS, AND CONTINGENCY PLANS, INCLUDING IDENTIFICATION OF AN ALTERNATE LANDING SITE. VISUAL OBSERVERS WERE POSITIONED ALONG THE FINAL APPROACH PATH, WHILE THE GROUND CONTROL OPERATOR MAINTAINED VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT NEAR THE RUNWAY. THE OPERATING SURFACE WAS A NON-STANDARD, MAKESHIFT RUNWAY ESTABLISHED ALONG A RACETRACK STRAIGHTAWAY.
DURING THE INITIAL FLIGHT, THE UAS DEPARTED FROM THE INTENDED RUNWAY WITHOUT ISSUE AND DEMONSTRATED SOLID PERFORMANCE DURING CLIMB-OUT.
IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING, MULTIPLE INSPECTION PASSES WERE FLOWN ALONG THE APPROACH PATH TO EVALUATE TERRAIN, SLOPE, AND OBSTACLE CLEARANCE. THESE PASSES INDICATED ADEQUATE SEPARATION FROM OBSTACLES. BASED ON THESE OBSERVATIONS AND THE AIRCRAFT’S PERFORMANCE, THE PILOT PROCEEDED WITH THE AUTONOMOUS LANDING.
DURING THE FINAL APPROACH, APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRCRAFT’S LEFT WING CONTACTED THE TALLEST TREE ALONG THE APPROACH PATH. THIS CONTACT LED TO A DESCENT THAT COULD NOT BE CORRECTED, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A POWER LINE BEFORE CONTACTING THE HARD SURFACE COMING TO REST ON THE RACETRACK SAFETY BARRIER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDED TO THE SCENE; HOWEVER, NO FIRE OR CONTAMINATION WAS DETECTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.