Radio Transmitters for Model Aircrafts Recalled by Horizon Hobby Due to Impact and Laceration Hazards

Recall Insight

This CPSC action (record #09179) was formally reported on April 2, 2009. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. Horizon Hobby Inc., of Champaign, Ill. is listed as the recalling firm. Federal records indicate About 15,000 units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: The defective radio transmitters can cause model airplanes and helicopters they control to fall from the sky while in flight and crash into bystanders or property. The propellers can also spin unexpectedly injuring a pe… Distribution information was not included in the agency filing, so consumers should assume broad potential exposure until the firm publishes point-of-sale details. The remedy documented by the agency is: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled radio transmitters and contact Horizon Hobby to arrange to have the transmitters shipped free of charge for inspection and repair. — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by CPSC. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 17 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.