Vu Holdings Llc/Dba Vanilla Un VA 001 accident near Ninilchik, Alaska, August 20, 2025
On August 20, 2025 at about 2:32 pm local time, a 2021 Vu Holdings Llc/Dba Vanilla Un VA 001, registered N246VU, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Ninilchik, Alaska. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2025 · about 2:32 pm local time
- Place
- Ninilchik, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vu Holdings Llc/Dba Vanilla Un VA 001, built 2021
- Registration
- N246VU · registry record · serial 18656A26444
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 20, 2025, at about 0632 Alaska daylight time, a Platform Aerospace VA 001 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), N246VU, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident on a beachside cliff near Ninilchik, Alaska. The aircraft was unmanned. The aircraft was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Public Use Armed Forces Aircraft on a Certificate of Authorization (COA) Waiver. According to the operator, the airplane was returning to Kenai Municipal Airport in Kenai Alaska after a 72-hour continuous flight to Shemya Island. While flying over open water at an altitude of 5500 ft msl, less than an hour from its expected return, the UAS experienced a total loss of engine power and began an uncommanded descent. While troubleshooting, the flight crew was able to briefly restore partial power after opening the wing fuel drain solenoid. However, this was not enough to maintain altitude. After further attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, the flight crew shutdown the engine, to arrest the descent rate, and began a power-off glide towards shore for an off-airport emergency landing. During the emergency landing, the UAS impacted a beachside cliff which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The wreckage has been moved to a secure location, and a detailed NTSB examination is pending.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 409 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 12, 2025; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 620 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Vu Holdings LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK at 4:42 pm
- Destination: ENA Kenai AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,500 ft; a few clouds at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 6:16 am from PAEN, 36 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAEN 201416Z 00000KT 10SM FEW029 SCT050 OVC085 12/12 A3010 RMK AO2 T01170117
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC25LA091.