Date:	Tuesday 22 May 2018
Time:	09:30
Type:	DJI Phantom 3 Pro
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	Unregistered
MSN:	N/K
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Railworld, near Rivergate Shopping Centre, Oundle Road, Peterborough -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Survey
Departure airport:	Oundle Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:	Oundle Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to DJI Phantom 3 Pro, UAS, registration n/a: Structural failure leading to loss of control, Railworld, near Rivergate Shopping Centre, Oundle Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 1EL 22 May 2018. The AAIB Final Report was published on 9 May 2019, and the following is an excerpt from it:

"The DJI Phantom 3 Pro is an unmanned aircraft (UA) with a maximum weight of 1.28 kg. With its flight controller, it forms an unmanned aircraft system (UAS). It was being flown to photograph a local tourist attraction using a camera mounted on a gimbal below the aircraft.

The pilot completed his pre-flight checks of inspecting the structure and propellers for signs of damage and proceeded with an uneventful takeoff. As the UA reached a height of approximately 10-15 ft the pilot heard an unusual sound which he took to be wind noise. Seconds later he heard the same noise and the UA descended rapidly before ground impact.

During the impact the battery and camera separated from the UA and came to rest approximately two metres away. Upon inspection, one motor complete with mounting screws and propeller, was missing and despite a search of the area it was not found. The UA was extensively damaged but there were no injuries or third-party damage".

=Damage to Airframe=
Per the above AAIB Report "Motor mounting damaged and aircraft destroyed"

=AAIB comment=
"Good airworthiness practice suggests that operators of UAs should consider inspecting the critical areas of the UA structure at regular intervals (including the use of a suitable magnifying glass) to identify cracks which may lead to a structural failure and subsequent loss of the control"

1. AAIB Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f4676fde90e0729919977df/DJI_Phantom_3_Pro_UAS_05-19.pdf
2. http://www.railworld.net/
3. https://www.dji.com/uk/support/product/phantom-3-pro
4. https://www.rivergate-centre.co.uk/how_to_find_us/

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


17 June 2018	Unregistered	Private	0	Worcester, Worcestershire		sub
18 November 2019	unregistered	Private	0	Sunderland, Tyne and Wear		sub
3 December 2019	unregistered	Private	0	Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire		sub
4 December 2019	unregistered	Welsh Water	0	Alwen Forest, Mynydd Hiraethog/Denbigh Moors SSSI, Conwy		w/o
18 February 2020	Unregistered	Private	0	Gainsborough, Lincolnshire		sub
30 April 2020	unregistered	Private	0	Warrington Cemetery, Manchester Road, Warrington, Merseyside WA1 3BG		unk
12 July 2020	Unregistered	Private	0	Boston, Lincolnshire		w/o
28 July 2020	Unregistered	Private	0	Drakelow, 2 miles South of Burton-on-Trent, Derbyshire		sub
27 August 2020	Unregistered	Private	0	Margate, Thanet District, Kent		sub
Bird strike
31 August 2020	Unregistered	Private	0	Luskentyre Beach, Lewis and Harris, The Outer Hebrides, Scotland		sub
22 September 2020	Unregistered	Magnox Ltd	0	Bradwell Nuclear Power Station, Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex		sub
29 September 2020	Unregistered	Bristol City Docks, Harbour Masters Office	0	Bristol City Docks, Dock Gate Lane, Hotwells, Bristol BS1 6XG		sub
19 November 2020	Unregistered	Essex Police	0	Colchester, Essex		sub
1 December 2020	Unregistered	Private	0	Morley, West Yorkshire		sub
2 February 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Near Ropley, Hampshire		sub
5 March 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Near Sizewell, Suffolk		sub
9 March 2021	Unregistered	Hanson UK Materials Aggregates	0	Whatley Quarry, 4 miles West of Frome, Somerset		sub
20 March 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Altrincham, Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester		sub
4 April 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Holywell, Clwyd, Flintshire, North Wales CH8		sub
21 April 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Swindon, Wiltshire		sub
19 May 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Brent Cross, London Borough of Barnet, London NW4		sub
30 May 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Llanhilleth, Blaenau Gwent, Wales		sub
3 June 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Barnham, 3 miles South of Thetford, Suffolk		sub
22 June 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Perth, Perth and Kinross, Scotland		sub
28 August 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Stowe, 2 miles NW of Buckingham, Buckinghamshire		sub
29 September 2021	Unregistered	Private	0	Craignaw, Dungeon Hills, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland		w/o
6 October 2023	unregistered	Private	0	near Frome, Somerset		sub
5 November 2024	Unregistered	Private	0	near Lymington, Hampshire		sub

DJI Phantom 3 Pro in July 2016 (stock photo - not the actual UAV involved)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Jun-2021 20:50	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-Jun-2021 20:51	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
08-Jul-2024 06:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Source, Embed code, Category, ]