An MQ-1B remotely piloted aircraft crashed at Creech AFB, Nev., last June because of the failure of a flight control module that fully deflected the RPA’s right aileron, according to Air Combat Command’s abbreviated investigation. “This un-commanded lowering of the aileron on only one wing caused the MQ-1B to begin a roll and turn,” stated ACC’s June 9 release, summarizing the accident investigation report. “This roll progressed until the MQ-1B’s steep angle of bank rendered it incapable of maintaining level flight. The aircraft subsequently lost satellite communication and continued to depart controlled flight until it impacted the ground,” states the release. The MQ-1 crashed on the Nevada Test and Training Range on June 27, 2014, totally destroying the $4.6 million RPA on impact. The MQ-1 was assigned to the 432nd Wing and operated by controllers from the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron—both at Creech, according to officials. (AIB report; Caution, large-sized file.)
Special-ops aviators, a physicist from the intelligence community, and an enlisted Marine with decades of deployments: U.S. Space Command’s military and civilian leaders who spoke May 7 were as likely to come from strictly space backgrounds as not. These are some of the day’s insights from inside the command, which…