Fouga CM 170R MAGISTER accident near Lake Havasu City, Arizona, December 6, 2014
On December 6, 2014 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1964 Fouga CM 170R MAGISTER, registered N300FM, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Lake Havasu City, Arizona. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power to both engines during descent due to fuel starvation as a result of an interruption of the fuel flow, which resulted in a forced landing to a short strip and a subsequent overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2014 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Havasu City, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fouga CM 170R MAGISTER, built 1964 · all CM 170R MAGISTERs on the register
- Registration
- N300FM · registry record · serial 494
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot/owner was conducting a cross-country personal flight in the experimental airplane and stopped at an intermediate airport for fuel. While descending to the destination airport, both engines flamed out. The pilot estimated that the airplane should have had about 1.5 hours of fuel remaining when the engine flameouts occurred. The pilot determined that the airplane would not be able to glide to the airport, so he attempted to land it on a short asphalt strip. The airplane touched down firmly with about 1,000 ft remaining. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane on the asphalt, and it continued about 200 ft off the end into rough terrain. The cockpit remained intact, but the rest of the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane had a submerged boost pump in the rear fuselage tank that supplied fuel to both engines through a filter and a nonreturn valve. The main fuel filter had a bypass pin inside the bowl, which moved up and down when the filter was partially blocked and forced the bypass poppet valve to move up. The pilot and his mechanic examined the airplane after the accident and observed that the poppet valve was in the full-up position. The mechanic suggested that this indicated that there was a blockage in the fuel system; however, due to the damage, he and the pilot did not attempt to find the blockage site. Based on the available evidence, both engines likely lost power due to fuel starvation as a result of an interruption of the fuel flow.
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 engine power (total) during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 5, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Turbomeca Marbore VI (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Turbomeca Marbore VI (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KGCN Grand Canyon AZ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Lake Havasu City AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from KEED
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.