MQ-9 REAPER ACCIDENT REPORT RELEASED Published July 13, 2009 LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- An improperly assembled oil system temperature control valve caused the crash of an MQ-9 Reaper at Fort Irwin, California, March 20, 2009, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released today. The Reaper, assigned to the 42nd Attack Squadron, 432st Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech AFB, NV, was damaged upon landing and has an estimated repair cost of $3.9 million. There were no injuries or damage to other property or equipment. According to the report, during a training mission, the pilot received an engine malfunction warning and shortly thereafter lost power and torque. During an emergency landing to a simulated airfield on a field comprised of loose earth graded to look like a runway, the Reaper overshot the intended field, and landed on unimproved, uneven desert terrain with scrub bushes. The findings of the accident investigation board indicate that even if the Reaper had landed on the emergency airstrip, it would have sustained a similar degree of damage. The cause of the mishap was an improperly assembled oil system temperature control valve. The incorrect assembly caused the valve to fail in such a way that there was a severe oil flow imbalance which resulted in engine failure. For more information, please contact Air Combat Command Public Affairs at (757) 764-5007 or e-mail accpa.operations@langley.af.mil.