{"id":"3e29bdac-2e6b-46ff-a7dc-6d494b99072c","slug":"scaneagle-engine-failure-crash-pendleton-2026-03-10","kind":"malfunction","headline":"Boeing Insitu ScanEagle UAS experienced engine failure and crashed in a field near Pendleton, Oregon","summary":"On March 10, 2026, a Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle (registration N257SE) experienced engine issues during a test flight from the Pendleton UAS Range in Oregon and crashed in a field. No injuries or fatalities were reported. The FAA recorded the incident in its accident database.","occurredAt":"2026-03-10T18:09:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"reviewed","modelId":"f05e389e-c446-456a-9c5e-e44040e3738e","deploymentId":"82b2c90f-0ebc-4646-84e7-1bdb6d0237a5","companyId":"3c946ae7-b851-47e1-af10-4213c9c3d9e4","dataCenterId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"minor","rootCauseCategory":"mechanical_failure","rootCauseDetail":"Engine issues during test flight from Pendleton UAS Range","affectedUnitsCount":1,"affectedUnitsBasis":"exact","remediationStatus":"acknowledged","regulatoryAction":"none","regulatoryBody":"FAA","propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":null,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":"aerial","latitude":null,"longitude":null,"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-07-17T22:11:48.697Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-09T05:24:01.599Z","model":{"id":"f05e389e-c446-456a-9c5e-e44040e3738e","companyId":"3c946ae7-b851-47e1-af10-4213c9c3d9e4","modelName":"ScanEagle","slug":"insitu-scaneagle","description":"Insitu (a Boeing subsidiary) makes the ScanEagle, a small long-endurance fixed-wing UAV for reconnaissance and persistent surveillance. The aircraft has a 10.2 ft (3.1 m) wingspan, 28 kg max takeoff weight, 8 kg payload capacity, and 18 hours of flight endurance with electro-optical, infrared, radar, and electronic warfare sensor options. Approximately 1,000 units have been produced since service entry in 2005, accumulating over 1.6 million combat flight hours.","formFactor":"aerial","industryVertical":"defense","environment":"airspace","maturityStage":"production","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{"ceiling_m":"5950","weight_kg":"28","payload_kg":"8","wingspan_ft":"10.2","endurance_hr":"18","walk_speed_ms":"41.2","max_speed_knots":"80","payload_carry_kg":"7.7","max_takeoff_weight_kg":"28"},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://www.insitu.com/products/scaneagle","label":"ScanEagle - Insitu","title":"ScanEagle - Insitu","mediaType":"article"},{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_Insitu_MQ-27_ScanEagle","label":"Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle - Wikipedia","title":"Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle - Wikipedia","mediaType":"article"}],"aliases":["Insitu ScanEagle"],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"Airframe (company-claimed)","value":"3.1 m wingspan, 1.71 m long, 28 kg max takeoff, 8 kg payload, 150 W power."},{"label":"Performance (company-claimed)","value":"18 h endurance, 80 knots max, 5,950 m ceiling."},{"label":"Sensors","value":"EO, IR, radar and electronic warfare options."},{"label":"Operations (company-claimed)","value":"1.6M+ combat flight hours; launches in 30 min with 2 operators."},{"label":"Production (reported, unconfirmed)","value":"About 1,000 units since 2005."}],"createdAt":"2026-06-27T21:36:24.027Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-12T22:38:12.066Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null},"deployment":{"id":"82b2c90f-0ebc-4646-84e7-1bdb6d0237a5","modelId":"f05e389e-c446-456a-9c5e-e44040e3738e","versionId":null,"locationId":"77fd57a1-5a6e-4ae9-9b49-3750e6d594ba","operatorId":"3c946ae7-b851-47e1-af10-4213c9c3d9e4","ownerId":null,"slug":"insitu-scaneagle-colombia","status":"operational","firstSeen":"2025-10-01T00:00:00.000Z","statusChangeReason":null,"contractType":null,"pilotOutcome":null,"endedAt":null,"unitsOnSite":null,"tasksPerformed":["delivery"],"shiftStructure":null,"hoursPerDay":6,"siteType":"airport","operatorConfirmed":null,"humanSupervisionOnsite":null,"locationPrecisionTier":"verified_coordinates","deploymentScale":"medium_11_100","siteEnvironment":"outdoor","operatorType":null,"sourceQualityTier":2,"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://www.insitu.com/news","title":"Insitu ScanEagle Colombia"}],"notes":"ScanEagle with PLEO SATCOM capability for maritime surveillance and intelligence.","keyFacts":[],"reviewNote":null,"exposureHours":null,"deploymentMilesEstimate":null,"exposureBasis":null,"customerSegment":"logistics","scaleTier":"commercial_10_99","contractValueUsd":null,"contractValueBasis":null,"customerCompanyId":null,"customerExternalName":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-08T19:14:37.298Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-21T14:22:41.215Z"},"company":{"id":"3c946ae7-b851-47e1-af10-4213c9c3d9e4","name":"Insitu","slug":"insitu","description":"Insitu Inc. is a Bingen, Washington-based [unmanned aerial systems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_system) company and wholly owned subsidiary of [Boeing](/companies/boeing) (2008–2026), recently acquired by [Archer Aviation](https://investors.archer.com) in August 2026. The company designs, develops, and manufactures the [ScanEagle](/models/scaneagle) and [RQ-21 Blackjack](/models/rq-21-blackjack) UAV platforms — runway-independent drones launched by pneumatic catapult and recovered via the patented SkyHook system. With over 1.6 million operational flight hours and 3,500+ UAS fielded across 35 nations, Insitu is one of the most combat-proven small UAS manufacturers in the world, serving the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and allied militaries including Canada, Australia, Colombia, and NATO partners.","status":"subsidiary","founded":1994,"hq":"Bingen, Washington, USA","hqLat":45.7148416,"hqLng":-121.464517,"hqGeocodedAt":"2026-08-05T14:34:19.722Z","hqAddress":null,"hqPrecision":null,"website":"in-situ.info","fundingTotal":null,"type":"hardware","roles":["robot_maker","robot_operator"],"reviewStatus":"reviewed","heatIndex":52,"lifecycleState":"active","supersededByCompanyId":null,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.insitu.com/products/scaneagle","title":"ScanEagle - Insitu","retrievedAt":"2026-06-27T12:00:00Z"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"Parent","value":"Boeing"},{"label":"Products","value":"ScanEagle, Integrator UAVs"},{"label":"Category","value":"Military ISR UAVs"},{"label":"Deployments","value":"US Navy ISR, US Coast Guard counter-narcotics, allied forces worldwide; thousands of UAVs delivered"},{"label":"Settlement","value":"$25M settlement for recycled parts in military contracts (2015)"},{"label":"Financial stage","value":"Mature (Boeing subsidiary since 2008, Boeing exploring $500M sale, 30 years of UAS innovation)"}],"aliases":["ScanEagle"],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"atsProvider":null,"atsSlug":null,"factoryLocations":null,"manufacturingCapacity":null,"orgType":null,"burnSignal":null,"litigationEvents":null,"insurancePostureDisclosed":null,"unitEconomicsDisclosed":null,"tickerSymbol":null,"stockExchange":null,"secCik":null,"revenueUsd":null,"revenueBasis":null,"revenueAsOf":null,"employeeCount":null,"employeeCountBasis":null,"employeeCountAsOf":null,"marketCapUsd":null,"marketCapAsOf":null,"marketCapSource":null,"createdAt":"2026-06-27T04:07:57.377Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-10T23:46:38.783Z"},"derived":{"status":"active"},"sources":[{"id":"30667da5-6294-40d0-b1e7-51c34d67a70f","incidentId":"3e29bdac-2e6b-46ff-a7dc-6d494b99072c","url":"https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/567838","label":"Aviation Safety Network","publishedAt":"2026-03-11T15:08:00.000Z","notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"Aviation Safety Network","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-17T22:11:48.697Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-17T22:11:48.697Z"},{"id":"7217dadc-b9bc-4f95-a04e-13559df9944e","incidentId":"3e29bdac-2e6b-46ff-a7dc-6d494b99072c","url":"https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/community_engagement/uas_incident_reports","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"FAA UAS Incident Reports","sourceName":"FAA","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-22T03:48:19.338Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-22T03:48:19.338Z"}],"responses":[],"statusEvents":[{"id":"8906a69b-0d2a-4078-ae34-1d4621cc7bb6","incidentId":"3e29bdac-2e6b-46ff-a7dc-6d494b99072c","status":"active","reason":null,"source":"agent:recon","effectiveAt":"2026-07-17T22:11:49.890Z","createdAt":"2026-07-17T22:11:49.890Z"}],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/scaneagle-engine-failure-crash-pendleton-2026-03-10","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/scaneagle-engine-failure-crash-pendleton-2026-03-10","headline":"Boeing Insitu ScanEagle UAS experienced engine failure and crashed in a field near Pendleton, Oregon","description":"On March 10, 2026, a Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle (registration N257SE) experienced engine issues during a test flight from the Pendleton UAS Range in Oregon and crashed in a field. No injuries or fatalities were reported. The FAA recorded the incident in its accident database.","identifier":"3e29bdac-2e6b-46ff-a7dc-6d494b99072c","datePublished":"2026-03-10T18:09:00.000Z","articleSection":"malfunction","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":["primary-regulatory-filing"]}}}