Predator crash report
released
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Above: A US Air Force MQ-1B Predator from the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Detachment 1, takes off from Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on
February 4, 2016. US Air Force/TSgt Robert Cloys
US Air Force Abbreviated
Accident Investigation
Board (AAIB) report
released by Air Combat
Command on November 20 has
revealed details of the previously
unreported loss of an MQ-1B
Predator in the US Central
Command area of responsibility
on November 8, 2015. The
MQ-1B (98-3040) was assigned
to the 46th Expeditionary
Reconnaissance Squadron, 432ndWing, and was forward deployed
to an unspecified location from
Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.
The aircraft was on a combat
support mission. At approximately
1638 Zulu (GMT) time, the
deployed launch and recovery
element (LRE) took control of
the MQ-1 from the mission
control element. The aircraft
was returning to its base early
due to an outside air temperature
sensor failure. Over the next 15minutes, the LRE commanded a
descent for landing and started
working through the appropriate
checklist procedures.
The Predator experienced a
left tail control surface failure,
departed controlled flight and
crashed. The estimated cost of
aircraft and munitions was valued
at $5.3m. There were no reported
casualties or property damage.
Evidence showed that the
left tail and tail insert fell offthe Predator, which rendered
it uncontrollable. The aircraft
entered an unrecoverable spin
and it was destroyed in the
impact. All indications are
that maintenance personnel
complied with all relevant
actions and were not a factor.
The AAIB President found by a
preponderance of the evidence
that the cause of the mishap was
the failure of the left tail clamp
and/or left tail clamp bolts.A
Accident Reports
D: Dec 2
N: Argentine Air Force
T: KC-130H Hercules
S: TC- 69
Following a failed attempt to land
at Marambio Base in the Argentine
Antarctic sector, the aircraft diverted
to Río Gallegos air base. However,
a major fault in newly installed
computer equipment meant that
after landing the crew was unable to
control the engines, which continued
to run with 4,000lb of thrust. The
crew was forced to cut the engines
and use emergency braking to bring
the aircraft to a halt. This destroyed
the brakes and caused a fire in the
main undercarriage bay, however the
aircraft was otherwise undamaged.The KC-130 had been fitted with
a Rockwell Collins Flight2 digital
cockpit by L3 Platform Integration in
Waco, Texas. As the cause of the
fault was not immediately clear, all
flight operations with aircraft in which
L3 had installed this equipment
were temporarily suspended
pending further investigation.D: Dec 4
N: US Navy
U: VFC-12
T: F/A-18A+ Hornet
S: 16 2861 ‘AF-04’
The starboard leading-edge
flap detached from this aircraft
in flight during a sortie from
Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada,at 1619hrs and impacted the
starboard vertical stabiliser. The
aircraft landed safely and the pilot
was uninjured, but it has been
categorised as a Class A mishap,
indicating more than $2m-worth
of damage to the airframe.D: Dec 6
N: Indian Air Force
T: Heron 1
Having lost the datalink with
the ground control station due
to a technical problem during a
regular training mission inside
Indian territory, the UAV crossed
over the Line of Actual Control
in the Sikkim Sector and strayed
into Chinese airspace beforecrashing in Tibet. In accordance
with standard protocol, Indian
border security personnel
immediately alerted their Chinese
counterparts and asked them to
locate the downed UAV. Chinese
personnel later confirmed that
they had found the wreckage.D: Dec 10
N: Royal Jordanian Air Force
T: Grob G 120TP
S: 461
Both crew members safely bailed
out of this aircraft at around
1030hrs following a mechanical
failure, after which it crashed
inverted in a field in Blila Province,
in Jerash Governorate.http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #359 FEBRUARY 2018 // 87