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| Date: | Saturday 20 February 2016 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper |
| Owner/operator: | 432nd WG USAF |
| Registration: | |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Kandahar airfield -
 Afghanistan
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | KDH / OAKN |
| KDH / OAKN |
The military drone crashed on the airfield. The cause is under investigation but hostile fire was not a factor.
The Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board findings were publicly released on 13th April, 2017.
The US $ 12.3 million aircraft crashed short of the runway during a simulated flame-out approach. The board ruled the cause as pilot error - specifically setting the power too low and then failing to recognise the aircraft entering a too steep descent path during the approach.
Sources:
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/us-drone-crashes-southern-afghan-province-kandahar-1545094
https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1150521/mq-9a-accident-investigation-released/
https://www.afcent.af.mil/News/Article/670175/mq-9-crashes-in-afghanistan/
https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/04/14/investigators-pilot-overconfidence-led-to-reaper-crash-in-afghanistan/
Air Forces Monthly (April 2016) / Scramble (#442)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Feb-2016 08:02 | gerard57 | Added |
| 21-Feb-2016 08:02 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 21-Feb-2016 18:52 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 14-Mar-2020 17:25 | StokieSteve | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 26-Mar-2020 14:49 | DG333 | Updated [Operator, Operator, ] |
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