- Date
- May 14, 2022, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Winters, CA · open farm field
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N605PKPyka Pelican
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- 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
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20220514021379A
- Case key
- 105109
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
Delamination of the uncrewed aircraft systems’ right wing skin surfaces from the wing spar that resulted in a spin and impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
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 operator of the uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) reported that, during a demonstration flight at a company event, the UAS made a left turn and the right wing skin, along with the flaps and ailerons, separated from the UAS. He further reported that, after separating the wing skins opened and floated behind the UAS as it rolled right, spun, and impacted terrain. Substantial damage was identified to the entire UAS, to include the fuselage, both wings, and empennage Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right-wing skin had delaminated/separated from the wing spar consistent with a failed bond between the wing skin and wing spar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N605PK
- Reported as
- Pyka Pelican (7)
- Category
- Airplane, unmanned
- Serial number
- 16056PS0025
- Built
- 2022
- Airframe hours
- 9.5
- Engines
- Sunray DT13855, electricSunray DT13855, electricSunray DT13855, electricSunray DT13855, electric
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pyka Inc, doing business as Pyka Inc
- Registered owner
- Pyka Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Other
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 28, 2022
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Heads up display, Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Remote
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 21, 2019
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 60 total · 16.6 as pilot in command
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Injuries
- None
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KEDU, 10 nm away
- METAR
- KEDU 141855Z AUTO 36008KT 320V040 10SM CLR 26/08 A3009 RMK AO1
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.