What happened
On 5 September 2023, an unmanned MQ-9, tail number 13-4244, was conducting a routine training mission at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The aircraft was operated by the 12 Special Operations Squadron Launch and Recovery Element. During the sortie, the pilot in command handed over controls to a second pilot after several successful approaches.
While attempting a "touch and go" landing amidst significant crosswinds, the aircraft touched down approximately 35 feet left of the runway centerline. The aircraft's trajectory took it toward the asphalt shoulder, where it struck three runway-shoulder illumination lights. This impact caused the nosewheel steering to fail and severed a hydraulic brake line on the right main landing gear.
Following a three-hour period of troubleshooting the nose landing gear malfunction, the crew attempted another controlled landing. During this second touchdown, the lack of nosewheel steering and differential braking prevented the crew from controlling the aircraft's path. The MQ-9 drifted off the prepared runway surface into the surrounding terrain, resulting in a nose landing gear collapse and the destruction of the Multi-Spectral Targeting System Turret Unit (MTS-TU). There were no injuries or fatalities, though government property damage was valued at approximately $2.9 million.
The investigation
The Accident Investigation Board examined flight logs, maintenance records, witness testimony, and video evidence to determine the sequence of events. The board reviewed the training status of the crew, the squadron's recent transition to new mission capabilities, and the environmental conditions present during the landing attempts.