- Date
- March 2, 2026, 13:57 local (21:57 UTC)
- Place
- Atwater, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N258MFMightyfly MF-100
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 17, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260302001769A
- Case key
- 202591
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A control system anomaly, which resulted in the overload and failure of one of the propulsion motor systems during the transition from hover to forward flight.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the manufacturer/operator, the unmanned aircraft took off in light and variable winds for a test flight. After a nominal hover and entry into transition from vertical to forward flight, it experienced control and estimation anomalies. During the ensuing upset sequence, one of the motor pods failed due to high load, further limiting recovery capability. The aircraft departed controlled flight and impacted terrain on an adjacent taxiway. The aircraft was destroyed during the accident sequence, and there were no injuries or damage to property.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N258MF
- Reported as
- Mightyfly MF-100
- Category
- Unknown, unmanned
- Serial number
- 0003
- Built
- 2023
- Airframe hours
- 3.7
- Engines
- MightyFly, electricMightyFly, electricMightyFly, electricMightyFly, turbo jetMightyFly, electricMightyFly, electricMightyFly, electricMightyFly, electricMightyFly, turbo jetMightyFly, electric
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- Mightyfly Inc
- Registered owner
- Mightyfly Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Other; Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 26, 2026 · 0.5 hours before
- Departed
- MER · Atwater, CA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- MER · Castle
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Data recorder
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 8, 2024
- Seat
- None
- Flight hours
- 459 total · 0.5 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- MER, 0.68 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.