# NTSB WPR24LA031: Amazon.Com Services MK27-2, N692PA, Pendleton, OR, November 10, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 10, 2023, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: Pendleton, OR
- Coordinates: 45.695095, -118.84336 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6951&lon=-118.8434&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193376
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA031
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193376/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193376
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA031

## Probable cause

The operator’s use of an insufficiently charged battery that resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Amazon.Com Services MK27-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=06102CG), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md)
- [Electrical power system: battery/charger](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Amazon.Com Services MK27-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md?model=06102CG), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022432/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Amazon.Com Services MK27-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=06102CG), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The operator of the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) reported that during a test flight, the UAS descended, delivered a package to the practice location, and began a vertical climb to return to the landing zone. During the vertical climb, the UAS registered a low voltage health alert and initiated an “urgent land maneuver.” During the maneuver, the UAS battery depleted to a point where it lost propulsive power, and impacted terrain, resulting in substantial damage to all 4 wings, and spar damage to the number 2, 3, and 4 wings. Postaccident review of the circumstances surrounding the flight by the operator revealed that an insufficiently charged battery had been installed on the UAS. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the UAS that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N692PA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N692PA-2024-09-30), registration cancelled 2024-09-30, S/N 17868SN000777, built 2023 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC MK27-2
- Registry model: [Amazon.Com Services MK27-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/amazon-com-services-mk27-2) (registry code 06102CG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter, unmanned
- Serial number: 17868SN000777
- Year built: 2023
- Airframe hours: 14.54
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Flight test, Part 91
- Operator: Amazon.Com Services LLC
- Registered owner: Amazon.Com Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 10, 2023
- Airport: PDT, Eastern Oregon Rgnl At Pendleton

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; remote, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 10, 2023; seat: none; restraint: none; flight hours: 1,506 total, 53 in this make and model, 1,506 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 280° at 10 knots
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observed at: KPDT
- METAR: METAR KPDT 101953Z 28010KT 10SM FEW060 12/02 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP213 T01170022=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20231110022309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231110022309A), Nov 10, 2023: Amazon.Com Services LLC MK27-2, Pendleton, OR, Destroyed. [privacy data omitted] MK27-2 drone, sn 000777 ([privacy data omitted]), remote pilot certificate no. [privacy data omitted], Was conducting a flight under…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 4, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193376. 3.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16414331&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20form%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16414903&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20array-Rel.pdf

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.

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