XAG P100 PRO accident near Francesville, Indiana, August 7, 2024
On August 7, 2024 at about 7:10 pm local time, a 2024 XAG P100 PRO (helicopter), registered N268MQ, suffered minor damage in an accident near Francesville, Indiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). There were serious injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The remote pilot’s in-flight loss of control of the unmanned aircraft due to GPS signal fluctuations, which resulted in a collision with, and serious injury to, a person assisting the operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2024 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Francesville, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- There were serious injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- XAG P100 PRO, built 2024 · all P100 PROs on the register
- Registration
- N268MQ · registry record · serial 1863FPEG82193453D4L7
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The remote pilot reported that the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was landing and had reached the designated landing spot and descent height just before the accident. When the UAS was about 1 foot above the ground, the aircraft flew sideways about 30 ft and struck a person assisting with the operation. That individual sustained a broken shoulder. The unmanned aircraft sustained damage to one rotor blade and to the onboard radar assembly; both were replaced. A review of the available flight logs for the UAS indicated that as the aircraft was landing, the number of available GPS satellites decreased. This was accompanied by frequent signal fluctuations. The UAS subsequently calculated a position deviation that it attempted to resolve by repositioning itself.
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
- 550081 during descent
- 550240 during descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Auto flight system › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › En route navaid coverage/avail › GPS › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Ratings: none, none, none, none
- Medical certificate: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 242 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: XAG Co., Ltd A50 (electric); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lcg Family Farms LLC
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Francesville IN
- Destination: N/A Francesville IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 75°C, dew point 64°C
- Altimeter: 29.959999 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KRZL, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRZL 071915Z AUTO 05007KT 10SM BKN031 24/18 A2996
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 CEN24LA380.