- Date
- November 13, 2020, 12:26 local (19:26 UTC)
- Place
- Sierra Vista, AZ
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- CBP233General Atomics MQ-9
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Lead agency
- Other
- Case key
- 102286
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s incorrect automated landing profile selection, which resulted in an impact with a runway trench. Contributing to the accident was the pilot receiving instruction's and instructor's failure to spot the incorrect landing profile selection during prelanding checks.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The Operations Supervisor reported that the instructional flight with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was programmed for a single takeoff and traffic pattern to a full-stop landing. During the pre-landing checks, the pilot under instruction selected the incorrect landing profile, which did not account for the current runway displaced threshold because of runway construction. Shortly before touchdown, the pilot initiated a go-around but the landing gear impacted a runway trench, and subsequently the UAV impacted the ground. A post-crash fire ensued and the UAV was destroyed. The supervisor added that neither the instructor pilot nor the pilot receiving instruction spotted the incorrect selection during the pre-landing checks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CBP233
- Reported as
- General Atomics MQ-9 (B)
- Category
- Airplane, unmanned
- Serial number
- CBP233
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 5,139.2
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Public aircraft - federal · Public use
- Operator
- Customs and Border Patrol
- Registered owner
- Customs and Border Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Other
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 28, 2020
- Departed
- KFHU · Sierra Vista, AZ
- Airport
- FHU · Sierra Vista Municipal Airport/ Libby Army Airfield, runway 26, 9,501 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Video recording device, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Data recorder
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 17, 2018
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 1,258 total · 113 in this make and model · 798 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 28, 2019
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 6,863 total · 6,039 in this make and model · 4,912 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KFHU
- METAR
- KFHU 131858Z AUTO 31007KT 10SM OVC220 19/01 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP163 T01900012
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.