NTTR Reaper crash

Release Number: 121206 12/6/2012 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --
A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper crashed on the Nevada Test and Training Range December 5, 2012 at approximately 7:14 p.m. No one was injured in the incident, which occurred in a remote location west of Hiko, Nev. The remotely piloted aircraft, assigned to the 57th Wing here, was participating in a combat training mission as part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School Mission Employment phase. As soon as more details become available, they will be provided. A board of officers is being convened to investigate. For more information on the MQ-9 Reaper, click here. For more information on the 57th Wing, click here. -30-

I checked the NOTAMs and no mention of any recovery effort. However, there is this mysterious NOTAM:

M0507/12 - NO OVERFLY AT 37.40.0707N 115.22.00.09W SURFACE ALT. 12,000 MSL. REFERENCE TFR 2/0973. 06 DEC 04:48 2012 UNTIL 07 DEC 04:48 2012. CREATED: 06 DEC 04:49 2012

The waypoint is written kind of oddly, but I assume that is n 37 40 07.07 w115 22 00.09. This is a point west of Hiko, so it can't be a coincidence. It is also in free territory. I guess Nellis doesn't think I can put two and two together to get four.

Regarding the Mission Employment (ME) phase of weapons school, it is like "final exams". Weapons School is runs twice a year. The first two weeks of June and the first two weeks of December is when they hold the ME phase. It is like a mini-Red Flag. If you want to visit the range and see military planes flying and there is no Red Flag schedules, then those two periods are suggested. However, the last two weeks of June and the last two weeks of December, providing there is no Red Flag schedules, is prime time to find Groom Lake aircraft frequencies. The only things flying will be Groom Lake related. No flares to be confused with UFOs. ;-)

Has Iran claimed this one yet?

The mysterious notam looks to only be setting up a TFR (because it's free territory) for the area until Dec 7. Probably until they complete recovery/investigation.

reply to post by Lonewulph


Usually a recovery takes a few weeks, but this is an unmanned craft. The investigation may not be required. For instance, if you lost contact with the craft and it flew into the side of a mountain, there isn't that much to investigate. ;-) I FOIAd a Predator crash a few years ago, that was about all she wrote. It did go into the mode of the UAV during loss of contact. The Predator simply orbited once contact was lost. It orbited into the side of a mountain near Creech.

Scan Eagle recovery:


As you can see for an official recovery they just catch it on a rope. For an uncooperative recovery, I guess they would use a helicopter and a net.

Here is a UAV being caught in a net:


I couldn't find any videos of choppers catching a UAV in the air, but it is done for other flying objects.

!FDC 2/2001 ZLA NV.. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS MT. IRISH. THE TFR APPLIES ONLY TO CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION 91.137(A)(1) TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT FOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT ONLY RELIEF AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS UNDER DIRECTION OF NELLIS RANGE CONTROL ARE AUTHORIZED IN THE AIRSPACE AT AND BELOW 5000 FEET AGL WITHIN A 5 NAUTICAL MILE RADIUS OF 374007N/1152200W OR THE WILSON CREEK /ILC/ VORTAC 217 DEGREE RADIAL AT 57.8 NAUTICAL MILES NELLIS RANGE CONTROL TELEPHONE 702-652-4222 OR FREQ 126.65 IS IN CHARGE OF ON SCENE EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITY. LOS ANGELES /ZLA/ ARTCC TELEPHONE 661-265-8205 IS THE FAA COORDINATION FACILITY.

This is the kind of NOTAM format you expect for a crash.

Location is:
N37 40 07 W115 22 00