Whereas orbiting south of the runway in preparation for touchdown, each the unmanned plane’s engines shut down unexpectedly. The Exterior Pilot on the bottom, who was visible with the plane, took management and landed it with out additional incident.
The twin-engine shutdown was more likely to have been brought on by an on-aircraft knowledge error. Varied security actions, together with enhancements to the plane’s {hardware} and software program, and the Floor Management Station software program, have been taken to scale back the chance of a reoccurrence.
Historical past of the flight
The unmanned plane, G-TEKV, was returning to Lydd Airport from a flight over the English Channel. Flight operations have been performed from a Floor Management Station (GCS) the place the crew management the plane from takeoff to touchdown and function the payload to fulfil the mission aims. The GCS contained two stations, the flight GCS (fGCS) and the mission GCS (mGCS). The fGCS targeted on all points of the management of the plane platform, whereas the mGCS targeted on the mission targets and operation of the payload.
The GCS was manned by the Mission Commander (MC), the oncoming Inner Pilot (IP), the off-going IP, and the Payload Operator (PO). An Exterior Pilot (EP)1
and a Upkeep Technician (MT) have been positioned along with the runway abeam the supposed landing place for the plane and each may talk with the IP by means of airband radios.
Whereas the plane was orbiting off the coast previous to transiting again to the airfield, the 2 IPs performed a handover; the off-going IP remained to behave as a second pilot to help with the conduct of the rest of the flight. In the meantime the EP suggested that the wind favoured a touchdown on Runway 03 with a lightweight crosswind.
The plane transited in the direction of the airfield at 700 ft amsl to stay away from the cloud and icing. On reaching Echo Level, overhead the airfield (Determine 1), the plane entered an orbit whereas the IP, assisted by the off-going IP, proceeded to load the mission waypoints for a touchdown on Runway 03.
In the meantime, the EP reported to the GCS that he may hear the plane however was not visible with it. The MC instructed the IP to descend the plane to 600 ft
at which level the EP confirmed that the plane was visible and away from cloud.
With the plane established at 600 ft within the orbit at Echo Level and the mission factors uploaded, the IP knowledgeable the EP that the plane was arrange for the touchdown. The EP acknowledged and the IP switched the plane to route mode2 to proceed with the strategy and touchdown on Runway 03. After the plane accomplished two extra orbits, the crew within the GCS seen that it didn’t seem to depart the orbit on the anticipated level to determine itself downwind.
Because the plane flew the ultimate orbit, the EP exterior was anticipating the decision ‘downwind’ from the GCS workforce. He seen the plane stage its wings, as anticipated when departing the orbit, however noticed the nostril drop greater than regular. At this level the EP grew to become conscious that he was not capable of hear the plane’s engines. He operated the throttles and confirmed that there was no engine response. The EP switched to fly-by-wire (FBW)3 mode, took management of the plane, confirmed management response, and instructed the MT to tell the GCS concerning the full lack of engine energy.
Whereas this was taking place, the flight workforce within the GCS was first alerted that one thing was amiss once they noticed the plane fly on a westerly heading in the direction of the runway and never alongside the anticipated monitor to determine itself downwind parallel to the runway.
Not one of the workforce reported seeing or listening to any alarms or warnings. The MC seen that the peak of the plane appeared low, and the off-going IP then seen that the displayed parameters for each engines indicated zero rpm.
The MC, unaware that the EP had already taken management of the plane, gave directions to the IP to advise the EP to take action and went exterior the GCS to look at the plane. The MT suggested the IP that the EP had already taken management and so, from that time on, the IP supplied velocity info to the EP till the plane had landed.
The EP assessed the circumstances and positioned the plane on last strategy; it landed with out additional incident.
June 2020 occasion
This occasion adopted a associated one which occurred in June 2020 the place, throughout an integration floor take a look at of kit onto a brand new AR5 plane on the manufacturing and growth website in Portugal, each engines shut down, uncommanded by both the GCS or the EP.
