- Date
- September 6, 2024, 10:52 local (17:52 UTC)
- Place
- Pendleton, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Defining events
- Enroute-cruise: Midair collisionTakeoff: 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
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA reports
- 20240906013292A20240906020911A
- Case key
- 195091
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 operator’s failure to maintain separation between two drones during dual simulated engine out recoveries, which resulted in a midair collision.
Findings · 4
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.
N213PA · Amazon.Com Services MK30
N282PA · Amazon.Com Services MK30
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.
N213PA · Amazon.Com Services MK30
N282PA · Amazon.Com Services MK30
Analysis
The operator of the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) reported that during a test flight, N213PA was intentionally faulted by the UAS operator to simulate a “motor out recovery” and diverted to an alternate landing pad as the system was designed to do. The same fault was applied to N282PA as it was departing, which then diverted the UAS to the same alternate landing pad and into the flight path of N213PA, resulting in a mid-air collision. Both UAS sustained substantial damage throughout. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with either UAS that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N213PA
- Reported as
- Amazon.Com Services MK30
- Category
- Helicopter, unmanned
- Serial number
- 178650100H
- Built
- 2024
- Engines
- Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electric
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- Amazon.Com Services LLC
- Registered owner
- Amazon.Com Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- PDT · Pendleton, OR
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- PDT · Eastern Oregon Rgnl At Pendleton
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.
- Registration
- N282PA
- Reported as
- Amazon.Com Services MK30
- Category
- Helicopter, unmanned
- Serial number
- 178650100X
- Built
- 2024
- Airframe hours
- 33
- Engines
- Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electricAma/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, electric
- 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 · September 6, 2024
- Departed
- PDT · Pendleton, OR
- Destination
- Same as departure
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, aircraft N213PA
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 23, 2024
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 215 total · 155 in this make and model · 215 as pilot in command
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N282PA
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Remote
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 23, 2024
- Seat
- None
- Restraint
- None
- Flight hours
- 215 total · 155 in this make and model · 215 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KPDT
- METAR
- KPDT 061753Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 30/07 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP170 T03000072 10300 20172 58002 $
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.