MQ-9 Reaper Crashes Near El Mirage Airfield, Calif

• The RPA was flying a test mission

(Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, September 1, 2010) -- An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft crashed approximately one mile north of El Mirage Airfield, Calif., Aug. 31.

The RPA was flying a test mission and launched from Gray Butte Airfield located about five miles east of El Mirage. Both airfields are about midway between Palmdale and Victorville, and are about 15 miles south of Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The aircraft belongs to the Aeronautical Systems Center here. The Medium Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Division is the Aeronautical Systems Center organization charged with acquiring RPAs for the Air Force.

The crash site is in a sparsely populated area. No property damage or personal injuries have been reported at this time.

A board of Air Force officers will investigate the incident.

Source : US Air Force