Fouga CM 170 MAGISTER accident near Imperial, California, February 17, 2010
On February 17, 2010 at about 10:24 pm local time, a Fouga CM 170 MAGISTER, registered N6222N, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Imperial, California (Imperial County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and his failure to ensure that the speed brakes were retracted, which resulted in a loss of control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2010 · about 10:24 pm local time
- Place
- Imperial, California · Imperial County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fouga CM 170 MAGISTER · all CM 170 MAGISTERs on the register
- Registration
- N6222N · no longer on the register · serial 334
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, the airplane accelerated slower than normal and approximately 1,500 feet down the runway, the nose abruptly rose and the airplane lifted off. The airplane continued in ground effect until, according to a witness, the right and left wings alternatively dropped, the left wing stalled, and the airplane rolled until it impacted the ground. The witness stated that prior to the airplane's takeoff, he saw the airplane taxiing to the runway and both speed brakes were deployed. He could not see the speed brakes during the takeoff, but felt that the pilot may have rotated the airplane from the runway too soon. Following the accident, FAA inspectors found the right speed brake deployed approximately halfway. The left speed brake was found stowed. No mechanical anomalies were identified. The speed brakes, which are located on the side of the fuselage aft of the wing, are electrically controlled and hydraulically operated. To set the position of the speed brakes, the pilot activates a switch in the cockpit, visually looks at the speed brakes, and releases the switch when the speed brakes are in the desired position. During the landing approach, the speed brakes are normally deployed halfway.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 6, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 2010; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Turbomeca MARBORE IIC (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Turbomeca MARBORE IIC (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IPL Imperial CA at 10:24 pm
- Destination: SDM San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,304 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from IPL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR10LA137.