At 10:22 and 10:24 a.m., the aircraft encountered atmospheric turbulence, typical of conditions expected by the test crew, causing abnormally high wing dihedral (upward bowing of both wingtips). The lightweight, highly flexible flying wing took off at 10:06 a.m. No other property damage or any injuries occurred as a result of the mishap. The aircraft was destroyed when it sustained structural failure and fell into the Pacific Ocean. The propeller-driven aircraft had been flying under guidance of ground-based controllers from AeroVironment, Inc., of Monrovia, Calif., the plane's builder and operator, with assistance from NASA Dryden Flight Research Center personnel. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on the Hawaiian island of Kauai on June 26, 2003. The failure occurred during a flight from the U.S.
The Helios Prototype aircraft involved in the mishap was a proof-of-concept solar electric- powered flying wing designed to operate at high altitudes for long duration flight.
The board determined that the mishap resulted from the inability to predict, using available analysis methods, the aircraft's increased sensitivity to atmospheric disturbances such as turbulence, following vehicle configuration changes required for the long-duration flight demonstration.
The board that investigated the loss of the remotely operated Helios Prototype aircraft during a test flight last summer has released its final report.
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