Fouga CM 170 MAGISTER N6222N

Summary

On 17 February 2010 at about 22:24 local time, a Fouga CM 170 MAGISTER registered N6222N, operated by Reginald Finch, was involved in an accident near Imperial, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 2010 at 22:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Imperial, California, United States

Nearest airport

Imperial County (IPL)

Coordinates

32.8342, -115.5786

Aircraft

Fouga CM 170 MAGISTER

Registration

N6222N

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Reginald Finch

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Imperial → San Diego

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10LA137

Nobody was injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.