Zero Point Incident

From Star Trek: Gamma One

The Zero Point Incident refers to a shuttlecraft malfunction that nearly claimed the lives of two cadet shuttlecraft pilots.

At 0838 on the morning of 17 DEC 2278, Starfleet Academy's Theta Squadron started routine low impulse maneuvers out in the Zero Point region of the Kuiper belt (so named for it's navigation heading of 0 0 0 from the Sun). While larger ships might rely on thrusters in such locations, shuttlecraft pilots were trained for low-impulse maneuverability among the asteroids.

While getting ready for another approach through the belt, at 0944 Shuttlecraft Theta 3 piloted by 4th year cadet Xylos Ghorev experienced an impulse engine malfunction, ramping up to full impulse with controls not properly functioning making a run at the belt.

3rd year cadet Violet Blueberry, piloting shuttlecraft Theta 5 was in lead for the next run into the belt when the distress call came from the shuttle behind her. She was able change course and speed so that Theta 3 would come up underneath her shuttlecraft. Using Theta 5's tractor beam to lock on, Cadet Blueberry managed to use her own impulse engines to steer the interlinked shuttlecraft as they entered the periphery of the belt. Despite only skimming along the very edge of the belt, the shuttlecraft's navigational deflectors were draining fast in addition to the massive hull stress the maneuver was putting on both shuttles.

Luckily for Cadets Ghorev and Blueberry the Kitty Hawk-class USS McArthur similarly conducting cadet training exercises warped into the system as both shuttles structural integrity was starting to fail. Both cadets were beamed up and shuttlecraft Theta 5 broke apart shortly after. The McArthur managed to snag Theta 3 in its own tractor beam and disable the severely damaged shuttle.

Investigation

Theta squadron cadets were allowed to continue classes and log shuttle simulation time without any flight time while both the Starfleet Corps of Engineers and Starfleet Academy investigated the near-fatal incident.

Given that just over a decade earlier an entire squadron of cadets was lost while performing an ill advised flight maneuver, Starfleet Academy's investigation focused on the concern that the incident was caused by negligence on the part of the cadets. The cadets were interviewed repeatedly over the course of the investigation, being asked to not only individually recall what happened but to match up their actions with the flight logs of the four surviving shuttles as well as Sol System sensor and monitoring stations.

SCE meanwhile took the sensor information for the four shuttles and made the first recorded holographic reinactment of the accident and the subsequent attempt to save the out of control shuttle. Using this new holographic model several things were quickly learned: Cadet Ghorev's shuttle would have been destroyed if not for the actions of Cadet Blueberry. Cadet Blueberry's flight path was not optimal, in fact Shuttlecraft Theta 5 overshot Theta 3 and had to make a last moment correction. The computer modelling concluded that were it not for the intervetion of the McArthur which was returning early from its training mission that both shuttlecraft would have been lost with the cadets.

The investigation of Theta 3 would conclude that it was a maintenance fault that uncovered a potential design flaw. A magnetic constrictor had partially fused causing the impulse packs to melt down. The heat generated by this melting down severed computer connections to the flight control system (the potential design flaw being that it should have had no effect on the flight controls).

Aftermath

All remaining training shuttles had their magnetic constrictors replaced as well as additional hull plating seperating the impulse packs from the main computer circutry. Additional internal sensors were added to force a cold shutdown of the impulse engines should the magnetic constrictors fail.

Theta Squadron was reinstated with full flight training privileges at the Saturn Flight Range at the conclusion of the two month investigation. During the end of term ceremonies at Starfleet Academy, Cadet Blueberry was commended by the Commandant in front of her fellow classmates for her quick action to save the life of a squadmate at exceptional personal risk.