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WPR24LA302

2024-09-06 · Pendleton, Oregon, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PDT

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The operator’s failure to maintain separation between two drones during dual simulated engine out recoveries, which resulted in a midair collision.

Factual narrative

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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Aircraft-Effect on equipment
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_WPR24LA302.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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