Glitches downed QF-4, Predator report says

Technical glitches led to two aircraft crashes this summer within eight days of each other, according to separate accident investigations.

An unmanned MQ-1B Predator was destroyed during a June 28 crash near Jalalabad, Afghanistan. A QF-4 crashed July 6 about 70 miles east of Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., with the pilot safely ejecting and suffering minor injuries.

The Predator crash happened when adverse weather conditions caused the aircraft to leave its regular flight path, Air Combat Command said last week. The crew lost the radio link used to remotely pilot the aircraft, and severe turbulence caused the aircraft to veer sharply toward the ground.

Factors that contributed to the crash include a lack of weather-avoidance equipment on the aircraft and sandstorms that stopped ground weather radar from predicting severe weather on the day of the incident, according to ACC. The crash destroyed the Predator, valued at about $4.4 million.

The QF-4 went into a rapid, uncommanded upward pitch during a July 6 training mission, according to ACC. The pilot properly executed steps for out-of-control recovery but couldn’t stabilize the aircraft.

The pilot safely ejected before the QF-4 crashed, suffering minor injuries. The accident investigation board found that the cause of the accident was the stab actuator — which controls pitch — disconnecting from the QF-4 and causing the aircraft to leave controlled flight.

The $2.4-million aircraft was destroyed on impact, according to ACC.