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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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March 14, 2023 · Bell Helicopter Textron APT70 · N314AL

Mineral Wells, TX

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 14, 2023
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Mineral Wells, TX
Aircraft
Bell Helicopter Textron APT70 (2019)
Tail Number
N314AL
Operator
Bell Textron
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN23LA135

During a flight test, the unmanned aircraft’s flight control computer registered a low battery voltage reading and entered an automatic land in place flight maneuver. The aircraft was hovering over a large bush at the time and the ground station operator (GSO) attempted to override the system, but the system rejected the commands. The GSO attempted to change the land in place waypoint, but the system again rejected the command. The aircraft performed its land in place maneuver and collided with the bush, which resulted in the aircraft tipping over and coming to rest inverted. The operator reviewed the aircraft systems and found the low voltage threshold to be overly restrictive. In addition, software prevented the flight crew from overriding the land in place command and regaining control of the aircraft by changing the waypoint.

NTSB Probable Cause

The flight crew’s loss of control of the unmanned aircraft due to software limitations. Contributing to the accident was the overly restrictive low voltage threshold limits.

Full Narrative

On March 14, 2023, about 1030 central daylight time, a Bell Textron APT70 unmanned aircraft, N314AL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mineral Wells, Texas. The aircraft was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a flight test. During the flight test, the aircraft returned to base and was in a transition to hover when the flight control computer registered a low battery voltage reading and went into an emergency automatic land in place flight command. The GSO attempted to override the system, but the system rejected the commands. The crew then noted the “F BATT CRIT LOW VOLT” warning illuminated, which initiated a descent for the aircraft to land at its present position. At the time, the aircraft was in a hover at an altitude of about 100 ft above the ground over a large bush when the Land Failsafe command was activated. A command was sent to the vehicle to override the landing command, but the ground control station indicated that the override command was rejected. The GSO then attempted to change the land in place waypoint, but the system again rejected the command. The aircraft performed its land in place maneuver and collided with a shrub, which resulted in the aircraft tipping over and coming to rest inverted. Substantial damage was sustained to the lower left wing section. The operator reviewed the aircraft systems and found the low voltage threshold to be overly restrictive. In addition, a software limitation prevented the crew from overriding the land in place command by changing a waypoint.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:00 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBell Helicopter Textron APT70
Tail NumberN314AL
Aircraft CategoryPlft
DamageSubstantial
OperatorBell Textron
Operating RulePart 91
Engines4
Engine TypeElectric
Engine DetailsProprietary · Electric · 5 | Proprietary · Electric · 5 | Proprietary · Electric · 5
Seats0

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 33 · First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind130° @ 9 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point52 F / 27 F
Altimeter30.31 inHg
Observation Time10:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data