University Of Kansas MERIDIAN accident near Mcmurdo, Ay, December 19, 2011
On December 19, 2011 at about 3:17 am local time, a University Of Kansas MERIDIAN, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Mcmurdo (Pegasus Mcmurdo, Antarctica airport). It was a flight test under non-U.S. private rules. The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an aerodynamic stall induced by an inadvertent autopilot Home command. The Home command was entered following a loss of the direct radio link due to improperly set failsafe settings, and an unintentional latching of Home mode from an earlier functionality test.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2011 · about 3:17 am local time
- Place
- Mcmurdo, AY · Pegasus Mcmurdo, Antarctica · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- University Of Kansas MERIDIAN, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 20, 2011, at 1517 local time (0317, December 19, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)), an experimental Meridian unmanned aerial system (UAS), built, owned, and operated by the University of Kansas under a National Science Foundation grant, crashed on final approach to the Pegasus Ice Runway at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and there were no injuries or ground damage. The aircraft was returning from a flight test in which the airplane was controlled via an over-the-horizon satellite (Iridium) control link. Approximately 60 seconds prior to the accident, the pilot took over direct control of the aircraft via 72MHz radio control (similar to a model airplane). On final approach, as the aircraft was commanded low power and nose down pitch, the aircraft lost the 72MHz link, and as programmed the flight control system switched to an autopilot Manual (Assisted) mode. The Manual (Assisted) mode commanded the aircraft to predefined “failsafe” settings of 100 knots airspeed and neutral controls, resulting in about 27 degrees of nose up pitch change. After about one second, the control mode was changed from the failsafe setting to the Home mode, which was inadvertently left latched due to a functionality test earlier in the flight. The Home mode commanded the airplane to climb toward the home waypoint, which was over the runway, and enter an orbit. The airplane was well below the home altitude and at low airspeeds for approach. The command resulted in a power-on stall and steep nose down descent. Radio control link was re-established but too late to recover from the stall. The airplane impacted the ice runway and was substantially damaged.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Auto flight system › Autopilot system › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Auto flight system › Autopilot system › Unintentional use/operation
- factor Organizational issues › Development › Selection/certification/testin › Equip certification/testing › Operator
Pilot
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Tae Centurion 1.7 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of Kansas
The flight
- Departed from: NZPG Mcmurdo
- Destination: NZPG Mcmurdo
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.