Investigation into GFAFB drone crash finalized

The crash of military drone near the Grand Forks Air Force Base in August is being blamed on pilot error.

According to an Air Combat Command statement the RQ-4 aircraft was flying a mission in the local military operating area when the mission control element experienced a “workstation lockup.”

According to the report the aircraft did not descend as planned because the mission control element pilot

failed to sever the ground communications interface with the RQ-4 before it reached the initial approach fix – around 4,000 feet too high. Neither the launch and recovery element pilot nor instructor pilot were aware of the discrepancy in altitude.

The aircraft commenced an approach to land at the G-F-A-F-B but overshot the base and crashed into a farm field 6.8 miles north of the runway.

The aircraft, valued at approximately $64 million dollars was destroyed. There were no reported injuries or fatalities.