Incident Thales Watchkeeper WK450 Mk 1 WK031,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 181240
 
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Date:Thursday 16 October 2014
Time:
Type:Thales Watchkeeper WK450 Mk 1
Owner/operator:U-TacS
Registration: WK031
MSN:
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:West Wales Airport, Aberporth, Ceredigion, Wales -   United Kingdom
Phase: Approach
Nature:Training
Departure airport:West Wales Airport (EGFA)
Destination airport:West Wales Airport (EGFA)
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 16/11/2014 when crashed during an automated landing while being operated by contractor U-TacS under a Military Flight Test Permit as a training flight. While operating after selection of Master Overide function, due to deteriorating weather so as to to eliminate the chance of an auto-abort, aircraft systems falsely registered touch down while on approach and pitched the nose down.

Sources:

1. http://web.archive.org/web/20160421045223/http://www.janes.com/article/55734/uk-suffers-third-watchkeeper-mishap-with-salisbury-plain-landing-accident
2. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WK
3. https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2015-10-02/boxed-up-barely-used-and-4-years-late-watchkeeper-the-armys-affordable-1-2bn-drone-programme
4. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mod-launch-investigation-after-watchkeeper-drone-crashes-near-salisbury-plain-a6721371.html
5. https://dronewars.net/drone-crash-database/
6. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/service-inquiry-into-the-watchkeeper-wk031-unmanned-air-vehicle-uav-accident-at-west-wales-airport-on-16-october-2014

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
11-Nov-2015 16:53 Dr.John Smith Added
11-Nov-2015 16:54 Dr.John Smith Updated [Narrative]
11-Nov-2015 16:55 Dr.John Smith Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport]
11-Nov-2015 16:57 Dr.John Smith Updated [Source]
11-Nov-2015 17:07 Dr.John Smith Updated [Source]
12-Aug-2016 15:30 Aerossurance Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative]
12-Aug-2016 15:50 Aerossurance Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative]
01-Nov-2017 12:05 harro Updated [Date]

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