General Atomics MQ-9 accident near Sierra Vista, Arizona, February 19, 2009
On February 19, 2009 at about 8:18 pm local time, a General Atomics MQ-9, registered CBP108, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Sierra Vista, Arizona (Libby Army Airfield). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper flare while landing with a tailwind and the instructor pilot's delayed response.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2009 · about 8:18 pm local time
- Place
- Sierra Vista, Arizona · Libby Army Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- General Atomics MQ-9 · all MQ-9s on the register
- Registration
- CBP108 · no longer on the register · serial 108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the time of the accident the flight was operating as a Launch Recovery Element training mission, performing touch-and-go landings on runway 26. Customs and Border Protection had resumed pilot training following a Federal Aviation Administration-imposed suspension as a result of an accident 2 days prior. The accident landing was the seventh of eight planned landings. As the student pilot rotated the aircraft into the landing flare about six feet above the touchdown zone, a tailwind of approximately 9 knots was recorded. The instructor told the student to increase the pitch to arrest the descent rate and increase power to begin a go-around. However, the aircraft touched down hard on the main gear and lower vertical stabilizer and porpoised a number of times. The instructor then took over, executing a go-around and landing with no further incident. The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, left main landing gear, vertical fin and the lower cowl. There was no evidence of any preexisting anomalies with the aircraft.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,325 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 11, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,650 hours in all; 750 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 13, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 561 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honeywell TPE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KFHU Sierra Vista AZ at 7:21 pm
- Destination: KFHU Sierra Vista AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 12,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from KFHU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.