New Mexico: Lots of Drones, Lots of Drone Crashes

Holloman Air Force Base and nearby White Sands Missile Range

On June 22, 2014, the Washington Post published the results of a far-reaching investigation into crashes that have occurred in the U.S. drone program.

Shockingly, of the 194 major ("Class A") crashes that the Washington Post was able to document, 47  occurred within the United States.

Below is information on eleven (11) drone crashes that occurred in the state of New Mexico alone between the years 2001 and 2011. All eleven incidents involved Air Force drones; all but two of the crashes were associated with Holloman Air Force Base.

(See the full online database of crashes on the Washington Post website for full details of these and other drone crashes.)

Remains of October 3, 2001 crash

Date: October 3, 2001
Location: Holloman Air Force Base
Estimated damage: $1,101,749.00
Details: A Phantom (QF-4E) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: February 11, 2003
Location: about 13 miles northwest of Holloman Air Force Base on the confines of the White Sands Missile Range
Estimated damage: a
Details: A Phantom (QF-4E) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .

May 22, 2003 crash

Date: May 22, 2003
Location: about 13 miles northwest of Holloman Air Force Base on the confines of the White Sands Missile Range
Estimated damage: $880,000
Details:A Phantom (QF-4E) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: September 8, 2004
Location: 17 miles northwest of Holloman Air Force Base, White Sands Missile Range
Estimated damage: $1,506,500
Details: A Phantom (QF-4E) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: August 10, 2006
Location: Holloman Air Force Base
Estimated damage: N/A
Details: A Phantom (QF-4) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: September 11, 2009
Location: Holloman Air Force Base
Estimated damage: N/A
Details: A Predator (MQ-1B) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: July 28, 2010
Location: Cannon Air Force Base
Estimated damage: $988,149
Details: A Predator (MQ-1B) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: August 24, 2011
Location: Holloman Air Force Base
Estimated damage: N/A
Details: A Reaper (MQ-9) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: October 7, 2011
Location: Holloman Air Force Base
Estimated damage: N/A
Details: A Reaper (MQ-9) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: July 23, 2013
Location: Cannon Air Force Base
Estimated damage: N/A
Details:A Reaper (MQ-9) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Date: October 30, 2013
Location: about 6 miles northwest of Holloman Air Force Base
Estimated damage: N/A
Details: A Predator (MQ-1B) owned by the Air Force crashed . . . .


Related posts

Recently released records say that four drone crashes have occurred in the state of Arizona alone between the years 2005 and 2008. The Arizona incidents all involved Army Hunter drones. There is a separate report of crash of a Predator drone.

(See Records of Multiple Drone Crashes in Arizona Coming to Light )






Ten (10) drone crashes occurred in the state of California alone between the years 2004 and 2011.

(See California: Is the Sky Falling? )







A drone crash in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay was one of the first incidents to bring crashes by military drones to the attention of the American public.


(See Maryland Drone Crashes: The Other Shoe Drops )


Numerous drone crashes in and off the coast of Florida have been associated with training at Tyndall Air Force Base.

(See Drone Crashes Pile Up In and Near Florida ) 

April Days of Action Against Drones in NEW MEXICO

The following events are planned in New Mexico as part of the nationwide April Days of Action Against Drones.


Albuquerque - Friday, April 26, 2013 - Book talk by Medea Benjamin, Code Pink, at Immanuel Presbyterian Church on Carlisle at Central.

Santa Fe - Saturday, April 27, 2013 - Book talk by Medea Benjamin, Code Pink, at 7pm, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe. Corner of Galisteo and Barcelona. Suggested donation $10, but no one will be turned away. Doors open 6:30pm for browsing tables & refreshments.

Taos - Sunday, April 28, 2013 - Book talk by Medea Benjamin, Code Pink, at 7pm, Taos Community Auditorium (TCA), 145 Paseo del Norte. Advanced tickets: $8 for youth 18 and under; $10 adults. Or at the door: $10 for youth and $15 for adults. Doors open at 6:15 for browsing tables. Contact Robin at 575-758-9791 or culturalenergy.org for advanced tickets.

Read about ALL the ways YOU can be involved 

in the April Days of Action Against Drones!

Call for "No Drones" in New Mexico Colleges, Universities, and Research Institutions

Friends,

A national call has been made for “April Days of Action” to focus on three key components of U.S. drone work: Drone Manufacturers, Drone Bases in the U.S., and Drone Research. (See the list about nationwide actions and post your own planned actions for April.)

Given the fact that drones are now the primary weapons of warfare used by the US, and for surveillance both domestic and abroad, the research and development of this warfare is growing rapidly at academic institutions, in our towns and neighborhoods. Drones are the perfect instrument for endless war that kills civilians, even as they target “militants” in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

Academic institutions often receive large grants from the U.S. Department of Defense, enabling them to build labs within schools of engineering, for instance. We are well aware that without this research in robotics, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and the accompanying accessories, these drone warfare projects would probably not take place. So there is an interdependent relationship between the universities and the U.S. government and or its Department of Defense and CIA. (CIA drones are used in countries with which the U.S. is not “at war”, ie Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, Mali, and others.)

While universities tend to publicize some information on their respective websites regarding the drone work, it is most often said to be for non-military purposes. And there are students working in the labs who are convinced that all the research is for humanitarian purposes. However, history has told us that non-military can quickly and easily become military. Moreover research has shown drones make mistakes on recognizing their targets.

We are therefore asking organizations and individuals, nationwide, to explore any drone research that might be going on at their local university. We are calling for local actions between April 16 and 18, 2013 (Suggested actions are listed below) Our limited research into University and Academic UAV programs indicates that at least one research center is operating in New Mexico:

New Mexico State University - Las Cruces

Before those dates in April we will need to know what information you have acquired about the research and what actions and events your group is planning.This will be shared among groups in the Network. You can send this information to us at notodrone@gmail.com.

We will have a press committee that will receive your press release and any articles you are able to publish before or after the event.

This project will complement other outreach, education and action projects that will be launched in April, focusing on drone bases, April 27-28 and drone manufacturers , April 4-6.

Suggested actions:

1. Learn what research is being done by searching on a university website. Look especially at the Engineering Dept. 
2. Organize a forum, preferably on campus, with speakers and discussion. Be sure to publicize in campus newspapers, and possibly include a professor as one of the speakers. Also include local activists.
3. Plan a small meeting with the appropriate persons in the department working on drone research, both professors and students.
4. Hold vigils and leaflet on or close to the campus, as well as in town.
5. Let us know if you need further tools for your research.

Thanks in advance for your reply to notodrone@gmail.com.

With all good wishes,

Marge Van Cleef, WILPF, Philadelphia
Leila Zand, For USA
Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator, Voices for Creative Nonviolence

Jan18: Albuquerque Protests Drones

by Bob Anderson, Stop the War Machine


Starting at 3 pm Friday afternoon, January 18, here in Albuquerque we held a demonstration/protest in solidarity with the actions taking place at the inauguration several days hence in Washington, DC.

First we assembled at the office of Senator Martin Heinrich where we hung on a clothesline stretched along the street clothes of children smeared with red symbolic blood (red water paint). We had a large 4x5' photo of Abdul Rahmanal-Awlaki which was placed right at the door entrance on the street level.


Then the group walked three blocks down Central Ave. (Route 66) to the office of Senator Tom Udall and did the same thing.

All along the way our 35 people passed by much traffic and people who saw our signs and the close line which we carried with the bloodied children's clothes.


At both offices the staff representatives of the senators came out to meet with us on the street. The senators were well aware of our coming to their offices.



The Raging Grannies had a new song on drones* they sang for each of the senators' representatives and numerous individuals took the opportunity to speak their minds on the rule of law, our role as world colonialist, the killing of children, extra-judicial assassinations by executive order and other things.

It was interesting that on the main street at Senator Udall's office several bystanders joined in with us to hold signs for a while. There is a good amount of general knowledge about drones and the controversy surrounding them.












*Song by the Raging Grannies, Drones in the Sky

To the tune of "Home on the Range," Lyrics by Pam Frazer-Walters, 2nd verse by Penelope Froan

O, give them a home, where no predators roam
Where no pilot-less, lethal planes fly,
Where poor folks are safe in their own living space
Where NO drone rain death from the sky!

Refrain
Drones, drones in the sky
Who decides o'er which country they'll fly?
And if their bombs hit off the target a bit,
Many innocent people will die!

Our pilots check in with a Starbuck's in hand
And sit down at the keyboard to play
They make the bombs fly
They can watch the folks die
And go home at the end of the day.

Refrain