What happened
During a series of scheduled ground tests, an aircraft operated by a crew consisting of three engineers experienced a loss of directional control. While the aircraft was performing high-speed maneuvers on a taxiway, it drifted toward the left side of the pavement. The movement continued until the plane exited the taxiway and collided with nearby trees.
As a result of the impact, the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss. Despite the severity of the collision, there were no injuries among the three crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the incident concluded that the accident was the result of improper preparation for the testing mission. Specifically, the crew neglected to disengage the rudder lock mechanism before beginning the high-speed taxi maneuvers.