PROTOTYPE PILOTLESS AIRCRAFT CRASHES DURING 2ND FLIGHT.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

A prototype pilotless reconnaissance aircraft called DarkStar was destroyed Monday when it crashed shortly after takeoff.

The crash occurred at 11:22 a.m., less than 10 seconds into what was to be its second test flight. Other than the aircraft than was no property damage and there were no injuries on the ground, Defense Department officials said.

``We don't know what caused it,'' said Defense Department spokesman Glenn Flood. ``We're in the process of setting up a team to investigate it.''

Wide, flat and tailless, with a 69-foot wing span and a blunt fuselage only 15 feet long by 5 feet high, the 8,600-pound DarkStar was powered by an engine similar to the one used in the Cessna Citation business jet and capable of propelling the aircraft to altitudes above 45,000 feet.

DarkStar was designed to fly pre-programmed flights, conducting its entire mission under computer control without additional commands from the ground. However, it was flying under the guidance of controllers on the ground when it crashed, officials said.

Delayed five months by development problems, DarkStar first flew March 29. The aircraft flew for 20 minutes, reaching an altitude of 2,700 feet and a top speed of about 140 mph.

DarkStar was developed under a $124 million contracts, covering the development and production of two aircraft. The program is being funded by the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

DarkStar was designed to be a stealthy, high-altitude aircraft able to linger over a battlefield for more than eight hours and cover more than 14,000 square miles. The aircraft was intended to provide video and other information day or night to battlefield commanders.

DarkStar was intended to be an economical reconnaissance aircraft, costing under $2,000 an hour to fly, compared to more than $30,000 an hour to fly a SR-71 Blackbird and $6,000 an hour to operate a U-2 spy plane.

The aircraft was half built in Seattle and half by the Lockheed Martin ``Skunk Works'' in Palmdale. Boeing Defense and Space Group built the aircraft's wing and is responsible for the avionics integration and the autonomous flight system.

Skunk Works built the aircraft's fuselage and other systems. Final assembly was performed in Palmdale.

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Photo

Photo: (ran in AV edition only--color) Wide, flat and taill ess, the DarkStar is powered by an engine similar to one used in a Cessna Citation business jet.