U.S.: Unmanned Predator Crashes in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq – An unmanned U.S. reconnaissance plane crashed north of the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, the military said.

The U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator (search) plane crashed near a U.S. base in Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad (search), the military said in a statement.

It was not immediately known what caused the crash.

The military said the aircraft was assigned to the Air Force's 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron (search), which is based at Balad.

"A board of officers will investigate the accident," the military said, giving no other details.