On March 8, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report on the February 16 accident involving the first of Joby's two full-scale prototype eVTOLs (tail number N542AJ) near Jolson, California. In a basic summary of confirmed facts, it says that at 9.58 a.m. the aircraft (designated JAS4-2) experienced an unspecified component failure over an uninhabited area during remotely piloted flight testing.
Investigators said there were no injuries, but that the aircraft was substantially damaged with a fire breaking out on the ground. The all-electric aircraft was conducting a developmental flight test under FAA's 14 CFR Part 91 rules, covered by an experimental category special airworthiness certificate under CFR 14 Part 21 regulations.
Joby has been using a second prototype aircraft for flight testing with the U.S. Air Force's Agility Prime program. The company has not commented on the accident or indicated what impact it might have on its plans to certify the four-passenger aircraft and start commercial services by 2024.