Every once in a while we run across something in the summaries that is just plain interesting and worth more than a passing mention. One such was the April 2006 crash of a MQ-9 Predator B unmanned aerial drone near Nogales, Ariz.
Pilot Tricks by Remote Control
Every once in a while we run across something in the summaries that is just plain interesting and worth more than a passing mention. One such was the April 2006 crash of a MQ-9 Predator B unmanned aerial drone near Nogales, Ariz.
Key Takeaways:
- An MQ-9 Predator B drone operated by Customs and Border Protection crashed in April 2006 near Nogales, AZ, due to a control system malfunction.
- The accident stemmed from a technical issue where switching processor cards between the pilot and camera operator stations inadvertently changed a control lever's function, causing the pilot to unknowingly command "idle cut-off" while attempting to address a perceived communication problem.
- Despite the drone operating on an IFR flight plan and being commanded by a highly experienced pilot, a subtle reconfiguration of controls after a repair led to the crash.
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