ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 310890
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| Date: | Saturday 2 July 2022 |
| Time: | 07:38 UTC |
| Type: | Tekever AR3 |
| Owner/operator: | UK Government (Home Office Border Force) |
| Registration: | unregistered |
| MSN: | 335 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | English Channel, off Dover, Kent, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Lydd International Airport (LYX/EGMD) |
| Lydd International Airport (LYX/EGMD) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
AAIB investigation to Tekever AR3 (UAS registration n/a): Engine stopped due to fuel starvation after fuel pump failure, followed by ditching, English Channel, 2 July 2022.
Prior to takeoff, the preflight Normal Operational Checklist was completed with no defects or faults found. Engine tests were also performed which all passed as expected. Takeoff commenced at 0502 hrs in good weather from a site near Dover. The aircraft proceeded to the mission area over the English Channel where it commenced a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLoS) maritime surveillance operation in Temporary Danger Area (TDA) D098.
The aircraft was monitored at all stages by two remote pilots who reported that the initial part of the flight progressed as normal. After approximately one hour and eleven minutes of flight, the aircraft was in a loiter mode at 800 ft amsl. The pilots then noted that the engine rpm had dropped to zero and throttle command had risen to 98% which is the maximum.
The altitude started to reduce, and the pilots realised that the engine had stopped. The aircraft continued to navigate on the programmed route until reaching 550 ft amsl after which the emergency procedure for activating the parachute was triggered automatically and the aircraft descended under parachute into the sea, within the TDA.
The operator stated that there were no other vessels in the vicinity at the time.
The operator advised the Coastguard, activated the Emergency Response Plan and informed the CAA. The aircraft was subsequently found floating by a fisherman who recovered it and returned it to the operator for investigation.
=Safety actions=
The operator identified that the loss of the LP fuel pump, triggering of the fuel pump fuse and the internal failure of the LP fuel pump were all design issues that could lead to engine fuel starvation. As a consequence, the operator has implemented the following design improvements:
● A modification to the fuel tank such that if the LP pump fails, the HP pump is able to draw fuel into the header tank.
● The LP and HP fuel pumps are provided with separate electrical fuses.
● Use of an upgraded version of the LP fuel pump.
The operator advised that the CAA has been informed of the investigation details and the subsequent modification
=Damage to airframe=
Per the AAIB report "Damage from seawater immersion and recovery"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB Final Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6409cf71e90e076cca363c88/Tekever_AR3_UAS_reg_n-a_04-23.pdf
2. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11032219/Governments-new-420k-drone-hailed-answer-migrant-boat-crisis-ditches-English-Channel.html
3. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19253750/government-420k-migrant-spotting-drone/
4. https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/07/21/border-flop-420k-migrant-patrolling-drone-crashed-in-the-english-channel/
5. Boundaries of TDA D098: https://pibs.nats.co.uk/operational/pibs/pib5.shtml
6. https://www.tekever.com/models/ar3/
7. https://www.facebook.com/tekever/videos/tekever-ar3-hot-swappable-vtol-is-a-game-changertekever-sar-which-we-named-gamas/337815848420253/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Apr-2023 09:59 | harro | Added |
| 18-Jun-2023 19:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated |
| 23-Jun-2023 05:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated |
| 26-Jun-2023 09:22 | Nepa | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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