ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 228243
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| Date: | Wednesday 9 January 2019 |
| Time: | 08:13 |
| Type: | Insitu ScanEagle X200 |
| Owner/operator: | Insitu Pacific |
| Registration: | AV616 |
| MSN: | 08-616 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Woleebee Creek, QLD -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Woleebee Creek area |
| Woleebee Creek area | |
| Investigating agency: | ATSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
At about 0825 Eastern Standard Time on 9 January 2019, an Insitu ScanEagle X200 (X200) unmanned aircraft system was launched to conduct ‘beyond visual line of sight’ aerial survey work of gas field infrastructure in the Woleebee Creek area of Queensland. The flight crew consisted of two pilots and two ground crew.
Shortly after launchfrom the Shell / QGC gas compression station, one of the ground crew observed the X200 pitch up and then enter an aerodynamic stall. The flying pilot commenced the emergency procedures for a stall-spin, however the X200 self-recovered before the checklist was completed. At about the same time the pilots received an alert indicating an airspeed sensor failure and initiated the associated emergency procedure checklist.
Before visual sight was lost, the ground crew observed the X200 oscillating in pitch as it continued to fly to the programmed first waypoint. While the flying pilot was executing the emergency procedures checklist, the X200 entered a second aerodynamic stall. Following self‑recovery from a low height above terrain, the X200 commenced a climbing orbit. Shortly after, the X200 entered a third aerodynamic stall, this time from a height that was insufficient for recovery, and collided with terrain. There was no post-impact fire and the X200 was destroyed. There were no reported injuries to people or damage to infrastructure.
The investigation found that the blockage in the pitot-static system resulted in unreliable airspeed data being supplied to the autopilot. Unreliable airspeed data led to the X200 entering an aerodynamic stall at a height that was insufficient for recovery.
During the pre-flight checks, there were opportunities for the erroneous airspeed indications to be identified. However, they were not recognised by the crew or flagged by the ground control station.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2019/aair/ao-2019-004/
Media:
#OTD in 2019 Pitot system blockage results in Insitu X200 ScanEagle UAS accident in Queensland shortly after launch from the QGC Woleebee Creek gas compressor station https://t.co/WpOgZWQOom #accident #unmanned #uas #aviationsafety #flightsafety pic.twitter.com/FiptFmafjB
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) January 9, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Aug-2019 18:56 | harro | Added |
| 09-Jan-2021 10:57 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Phase, Embed code, Narrative, Plane category, Accident report] |
| 11-Jan-2021 18:11 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, Narrative, Accident report] |
| 24-Dec-2021 17:52 | harro | Updated [Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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