Predator runway excursion at Holloman
Officials with the Holloman 49th Wing continue today their investigation of an unmanned MQ-1 Predator crash on landing around 1:20 p.m. Friday 22nd October 2010. This is the second crash of an unmanned MQ-1 Predator at Holloman.
Holloman public affairs spokesperson Arlan Ponder said the Predator went off the runway on landing.
“It went off of the side of the runway,” Ponder said. “It was returning from a training mission. We really don’t have much detail right now. The Accident Investigation Board is investigating the accident.”
He said no one was injured in the accident and no private property was damaged.
“The Accident Investigation Board is under the direction of the Air Combat Command,” Ponder said. “AIB is comprised of members selected at random from other Air Force bases to investigate the incident and find the cause of the accident.”
Ponder said the cause of the September 2009 crash of an unmanned Predator at Holloman was “mechanical.”
“It had crashed into a fence during a training mission,” he said.
Holloman Air Force Base has about 10 unmanned MQ-1 Predators as part of the 49th Wing training mission. The unmanned MQ-1 Predator has an estimated cost of $4.5 million a piece.
The Predator training mission came to Holloman temporarily in 2008. The first Predator crew graduated in April 2009 and the Predator mission came to Holloman permanently or “stood” up on Oct. 23, 2009.
Ponder said Holloman has been at the forefront of unmanned aircraft system technology.
