VSS Enterprise crash

VSS Enterprise crash
VSS Enterprise, the spacecraft involved in the accident, attached to its mothership, VMS Eve
Accident
DateOctober 31, 2014 (2014-10-31)
SummaryIn-flight break-up caused by design flaw and pilot error
SiteMojave Desert, California, United States
Aircraft
Aircraft typeScaled Composites Model 339 SpaceShipTwo
Aircraft nameVSS Enterprise
OperatorVirgin Galactic
RegistrationN339SS
Flight originMojave Air and Space Port, California, United States
DestinationMojave Air and Space Port
Occupants2
Crew2
Fatalities1
Injuries1
Survivors1

The VSS Enterprise crash occurred on October 31, 2014, when the VSS Enterprise, a SpaceShipTwo experimental spaceflight test vehicle operated by Virgin Galactic, suffered a catastrophic in-flight breakup during a test flight and crashed in the Mojave Desert near Cantil, California.[1][2] Co-pilot Michael Alsbury was killed and pilot Peter Siebold was seriously injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board later concluded that the breakup was caused by Alsbury's premature unlocking of the air brake device used for atmospheric re-entry. The NTSB said other important factors in the accident were inadequate design safeguards, poor pilot training and lack of rigorous oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT-20141031-KC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference WRD-201410312-AR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference NTSB_2015-07-28 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).