Unexplained Aircraft Crash Near US’ Secretive Area 51 Takes Bizarre Turn

A mysterious aircraft crash in the Nevada desert near the edge of Area 51 has drawn renewed attention after the US Air Force confirmed it is now investigating possible “tampering” at the crash site — with the FBI joining the probe.

According to a detailed report by The War Zone, the incident involved an unspecified Air Force aircraft “assigned to the 432nd Wing” based at Creech Air Force Base, a unit best known for operating MQ-9 Reaper drones. The aircraft went down on September 23 about 12 miles east of the boundary of Area 51’s highly restricted airspace, known as “The Box.”

Authorities temporarily restricted airspace over the crash site, citing “national security,” the report says. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a temporary flight restriction (TFR) covering five nautical miles in all directions and extending up to 15,000 feet mean sea level. The restriction remained in effect until October 1, and the Radar Approach Control at Nellis Air Force Base was listed as the point of contact for pilots.

In a statement released on October 4, the 432nd Wing said the crash caused no fatalities, injuries, or property damage. “The site was secured and guarded until recovery and cleanup operations were completed on September 27,” the Air Force noted.

However, The War Zone reports that things took an unexpected turn when investigators revisited the location days later. During a follow-up site survey on October 3, Air Force personnel “discovered signs of tampering at the mishap location, including the presence of an inert training bomb body and an aircraft panel of unknown origin that were placed on the site post-incident.” The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and the FBI are now jointly investigating the matter.

While the Air Force confirmed the aircraft’s connection to Creech, it has not disclosed the type of drone or the specific mission it was performing. The report adds that most units under the 432nd Wing fly MQ-9 Reapers — a well-known platform that has been in service for nearly two decades. Still, a Reaper crash would be unlikely to trigger such tight secrecy or a federal tampering probe.

Creech is also home to the 30th and 44th Reconnaissance Squadrons, the only publicly confirmed operators of the stealthy RQ-170 Sentinel drone. The War Zone notes that while it is unclear whether either squadron was involved, the presence of these classified systems raises the possibility that a sensitive asset may have been lost.

The report cites longtime Area 51 researcher Joerg Arnu, who said in a livestream that the aircraft likely originated from Creech and may have been participating in a large-scale exercise in the area, though he could not confirm this. Arnu later visited the apparent crash site after cleanup concluded on September 27.

The Air Force’s acknowledgment of “tampering” — and its decision to involve the FBI — remains particularly puzzling, the report says. It adds that while foreign objects do occasionally fall onto training ranges, the timing and nature of the debris discovered have prompted speculation about whether someone interfered with the site after it was officially cleared.

For now, The War Zone concludes, both the cause of the crash and the origins of the mysterious objects left behind remain unknown.