“The aircraft, belonging to the 432nd Wing, experienced an incident on September 23. There were no injuries or casualties. The crash site was secured and guarded until recovery and cleanup operations concluded four days later,” the U.S. Air Force’s 432nd Wing Public Affairs Office said earlier this week.

Investigators reportedly found signs of tampering at the scene, including “a training bomb and unidentified aircraft debris” that appeared after the incident. “The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are currently investigating. We have no further details at this time,” the statement added.

It remains unclear what type of aircraft was involved. Officials at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada confirmed there were no injuries or property damage resulting from the crash. The 432nd Wing primarily operates MQ-9 Reaper armed drones and is also believed to fly the stealth RQ-170 Sentinel.

According to The War Zone, a U.S. military analysis outlet, the crash site lies about 50 kilometers east of Groom Lake — better known as Area 51.

“The location was identified through a flight-restricted zone imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from September 23 to October 1,” War Zone editor Joseph Trevithick noted, adding that the FAA cited only “national security reasons” for the temporary flight ban.

The restricted airspace drew attention due to its unusual scope and proximity to Area 51, long the subject of secrecy and conspiracy theories.

Area 51 has been the testing ground for many of America’s most advanced aircraft over the decades, including the U-2 spy plane, SR-71 Blackbird, and F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter. The U.S. government only officially acknowledged the existence of the facility in 2013. Many conspiracy theorists believe Area 51 houses recovered UFOs and extraterrestrial materials for study.

Trevithick noted that MQ-9 drone crashes are not uncommon but said this particular incident stands out due to the extraordinary secrecy surrounding it. “The Air Force’s mention of tampering at the crash site and its cooperation with the FBI only adds to the mystery,” he concluded.