MQ-1B PREDATOR ACCIDENT REPORT RELEASED Published Nov. 18, 2008 Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- A catastrophic electrical system overload caused the crash of an MQ-1B Predator at Balad AB, Iraq, June 2 according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released today. The $4 million Predator, which was assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., was damaged beyond repair and destroyed for security reasons. There were no injuries or damage to other property or equipment. According to the investigation, the electrical system overloaded due to a failure of either the Number Two Alternator or a cable between the Number Two Alternator and the Dual Alternator Regulator. This led to a failure in the Primary Control Module, including the flight computer resulting in the subsequent crash of the aircraft. The alternator regulates the electrical current of a mechanical system. The primary control module acts as the "brain" of the aircraft, compiling sensory and control information for transmittal and relaying instructions from the ground control station. The Dual Alternator Regulation is the aircraft component that regulated power from all sources, alternators and backup batteries, to ensure sufficient power is available to the flight computer and other systems. Any uncorrected interruption in power would have led to a lost link and a potential loss of the aircraft. For more information, please contact Air Combat Command Public Affairs at (757) 764-5007 or e-mail accpa.operations@langley.af.mil.