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VSS Enterprise crash
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<p>The VSS <i>Enterprise</i> crash occurred on October 31, 2014, when the <a href="/facts/VSS_Enterprise/YSKlenFY">VSS <i>Enterprise</i></a>, a <a href="/facts/SpaceShipTwo/IAAHm6Qx">SpaceShipTwo</a> experimental spaceflight test vehicle operated by <a href="/facts/Virgin_Galactic/BrJavxml">Virgin Galactic</a>, suffered a catastrophic in-flight breakup during a <a href="/facts/Flight_test/uyrUsN4M">test flight</a> and crashed in the <a href="/facts/Mojave_Desert/qWmTVQLg">Mojave Desert</a> near <a href="/facts/Cantil%2c_California/czSYluR8">Cantil, California</a>. Co-pilot <a href="/facts/Michael_Alsbury/YlW7Dy5z">Michael Alsbury</a> was killed and pilot <a href="/facts/Peter_Siebold/q9LUI9V0">Peter Siebold</a> was seriously injured. </p><p>The <a href="/facts/National_Transportation_Safety_Board/02dgBoCz">National Transportation Safety Board</a> later concluded that the breakup was caused by Alsbury's premature unlocking of the <a href="/facts/Air_brake_(aeronautics)/1Fygm3me">air brake</a> device used for <a href="/facts/Atmospheric_re-entry/p7TMk9sa">atmospheric re-entry</a>. The NTSB said other important factors in the accident were inadequate design safeguards, poor pilot training and lack of rigorous oversight by the <a href="/facts/Federal_Aviation_Administration/PYsXt3YT">Federal Aviation Administration</a> (FAA). </p>