# NTSB WPR25LA135: Martin Uav Vbat, N443VA, Douglas, AZ, April 8, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 8, 2025, 14:55 local (21:55 UTC)
- Place: Douglas, AZ
- Coordinates: 31.478424, -109.60036 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.4784&lon=-109.6004&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 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): 200022
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA135
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200022/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200022
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA135

## Probable cause

The malfunction of the throttle servo which resulted in the complete loss of engine power.

## Findings

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

- [Engine controls: power lever](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057603): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Martin Uav VBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057603/cases.md?model=061016F), [All aircraft, 95 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057603/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Martin Uav VBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=061016F), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Martin Uav VBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=061016F), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Martin Uav VBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=061016F), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The operator of the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) reported that during a test flight, the throttle servo malfunction resulting in complete loss of engine power. The pilot was able to maneuver the UAS to a safe location where it impacted terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and flight control surfaces.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N443VA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N443VA), registered now, S/N 043, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MARTIN UAV VBAT
- Registry model: [Martin Uav VBAT](https://openairdocs.org/model/martin-uav-vbat) (registry code 061016F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Suter TOA-288](https://openairdocs.org/engine/suter-toa-288) (registry code 59295, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, unmanned
- Serial number: 043
- Year built: 2022
- Airframe hours: 28.8
- Engines: Suter TOA 288 23 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Flight test, Part 91
- Operator: Northrop Grumman
- Registered owner: Northrop Grumman
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 11, 2025, 3 hours before
- Airport: DUG, Bisbee Douglas Intl
- Equipment: Heads up display, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; remote; last flight review September 11, 2024; seat: none; restraint: none
- Other flight crew; age 39; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 11, 2024; seat: none; restraint: none

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 15 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observed at: KDUG, 1 nm away
- METAR: KDUG 152156Z AUTO 23015G27KT 10SM FEW110 31/02 A3002 RMK AO2 PK WND 22027/2148 SLP098 T03060017

## 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 20250408003859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250408003859A), Apr 8, 2025: Martin Uav VBAT, Douglas, AZ, Substantial damage. On 8 April 2025, a Vbat platform was scheduled for a series of flights as part of its operational testing and validation. The incident in question occurred…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200022. 1.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18623017&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120_Redacted-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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.