Hard landing Accident General Atomics MQ-9 Predator B CBP-108,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287160
 
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Date:Thursday 19 February 2009
Time:13:18 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic Q9 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
General Atomics MQ-9 Predator B
Owner/operator:U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Registration: CBP-108
MSN: FC108
Total airframe hrs:561 hours
Engine model:Honeywell TPE331
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Sierra Vista, Arizona -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:Fort Huachuca/Sierra Vista Municipal Airport, AZ (FHU/KFHU)
Destination airport:Fort Huachuca/Sierra Vista Municipal Airport, AZ (FHU/KFHU)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
At the time of the accident the flight was operating as a Launch Recovery Element training mission, performing touch-and-go landings on runway 26. Customs and Border Protection had resumed pilot training following a Federal Aviation Administration-imposed suspension as a result of an accident 2 days prior. The accident landing was the seventh of eight planned landings. As the student pilot rotated the aircraft into the landing flare about six feet above the touchdown zone, a tailwind of approximately 9 knots was recorded. The instructor told the student to increase the pitch to arrest the descent rate and increase power to begin a go-around. However, the aircraft touched down hard on the main gear and lower vertical stabilizer and porpoised a number of times. The instructor then took over, executing a go-around and landing with no further incident. The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, left main landing gear, vertical fin and the lower cowl. There was no evidence of any preexisting anomalies with the aircraft.

Probable Cause: The student pilot's improper flare while landing with a tailwind and the instructor pilot's delayed response.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: DCA09FA028
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB DCA09FA028

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
04-Oct-2022 07:54 ASN Update Bot Added

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