Loss of control Accident General Atomics MQ-9B CBP-213, Friday 15 May 2020

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Date:	Friday 15 May 2020
Time:	11:26 LT
Type:	General Atomics MQ-9B
Owner/operator:	U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Registration:	CBP-213
MSN:	Unknown
Year of manufacture:	2011
Engine model:	Honeywell TPE331-10YGD
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	San Angelo, Texas - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	San Angelo, TX (SJT`)
Destination airport:	San Angelo, TX (SJT`)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot of the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) attempted a touch-and-go landing but then performed a go-around due to an unstable approach. The pilot re-entered the UAS into the traffic pattern for a second touch-and-go landing attempt, during which it initially touched down nose first and induced a porpoise. During the third porpoise, the UAS contacted the runway in a nose-down attitude resulting in a hard landing and post-crash fire. The UAS was destroyed by the post-crash fire. There was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the UAS at the time of the accident.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate landing flare that resulted in a porpoise and impact with terrain.

Accident investigation: