Propeller fault caused Vertical's eVTOL prototype aircraft crash | Aviation International News

Propeller Fault Caused Vertical's eVTOL Prototype Crash

Two more prototypes are under construction, and certification timeline is unchanged

Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL prototype crashed on August 9. — Vertical Aerospace's first VX4 eVTOL prototype crashed on August 9 due to a failure in one of its propellers after a planned shutdown of one its electric propulsion units. (Image: Rachel Ramsay)

By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor

August 31, 2023

Vertical Aerospace said a bonding issue in a propeller was the root cause of an August 9 accident that badly damaged its VX4 eVTOL prototype aircraft during flight testing at Cotswold Airport in the UK. On Thursday, the company said it had submitted a report to the country’s Air Accident Investigation Branch and is preparing to start flying a second, more advanced, prototype of the four-passenger all-electric vehicle in early 2024.

“The early-generation propeller had already been redesigned prior to the incident, with the issue fully resolved ahead of the next phase of testing,” the UK start-up said in a press statement. “Further recommendations by the investigation [team] are being implemented by Vertical.”

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Vertical Aerospace

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