 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Drone pilot reports drifting into mexican airspace due to high winds aloft while on a mission along the southwest border.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1061436 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201301 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | MMZT.ARTCC |
| State Reference | FO |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 6500 Flight Crew Type 100 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Airspace Violation All Types Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence |
Narrative:
While conducting a law enforcement mission in the southern arizona area; aircraft was unintentionally flown into mexican airspace. Mission was conducted in close proximity to the international border; crew was trying to maintain the aircraft away from the border; but in a good position to maintain surveillance while dealing with strong winds aloft. During one of our orbits around the target the aircraft was pushed over the border and into mexican airspace. Winds aloft over the target location were from the north at 60 KTS. After flying over the border and into mexican airspace the crew immediately commanded a turn to the north to return to us airspace.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Drone pilot reports drifting into Mexican airspace due to high winds aloft while on a mission along the southwest border.
Narrative: While conducting a law enforcement mission in the Southern Arizona area; aircraft was unintentionally flown into Mexican airspace. Mission was conducted in close proximity to the International Border; crew was trying to maintain the aircraft away from the border; but in a good position to maintain surveillance while dealing with strong winds aloft. During one of our orbits around the target the aircraft was pushed over the border and into Mexican airspace. Winds aloft over the target location were from the north at 60 KTS. After flying over the border and into Mexican airspace the crew immediately commanded a turn to the north to return to U.S. airspace.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.