An Air Force accident investigation board looking into the July crash of an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle in Iraq has concluded that the UAV received faulty data from its manifold air pressure sensor. That led to a decrease in fuel flow to the engine, causing it to crash about 30 miles west of Balad AB, Iraq.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.