Air Force officials release Predator accident report Published March 9, 2009 LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS) -- A short circuit caused electrical fluctuations to the primary control module and other critical components, thus causing the crash of an MQ-1 Predator near Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Aug. 1, 2008, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released March 5 here. The Predator, assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., was destroyed upon impact, with the loss of the aircraft and two Hellfire missiles valued at $4 million. There were no injuries or damage to other property or equipment. According to the investigation, the cause of the crash was a result of an electrical system short circuit. The component failure causing the short circuit could have been in alternator No. 1, in the power cable that connects this alternator to the dual alternator regulator, or in the dual alternator regulator itself. The alternators produce electrical current for the Predator's systems while the dual alternator regulator regulates that current. Uncorrected fluctuations or interruption of power, such as that caused by the short circuit, would lead to a lost link and loss of the aircraft. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page