What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft reportedly lost power, crashed on the roof and went into an attic of an unoccupied home, no injuries were reported. (.4) after takeoff, the pilot noted a partial loss of engine power and attempted to land in an open field; however, the airplane's landing gear struck trees and it collided with the roof of an occupied house. The pilot stated that the engine did not sputter, surge, or backfire, and the engine was just not producing full power. Examination of the airplane disclosed that there was a loose magneto cap with one screw missing, and the other two were only engaged by three threads. Interference was also found at the midpoint of the throttle control system as a result of the improper routing of that system in the airframe, and a misrigged carburetor heat box, which resulted in an inability to achieve full throttle movement at the carburetor. (-23) the aircraft had erratic power immediately after takeoff from Sonoma skypark airport. Storage site investigation was non-conclusive but evidence indicated a loose magneto cap with one screw missing and two screws only engaged by three or four threads, may have contributed to engine RPM change. Also moderated interference of the throttle control system from improper installation and carburetor heat-box misadjustment were likely contributing factors. 44709 ride will be sought.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT REPORTEDLY LOST POWER, CRASHED ON THE ROOF AND WENT INTO AN ATTIC OF AN UNOCCUPIED HOME, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. (.4) AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT NOTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR STRUCK TREES AND IT COLLIDED WITH THE ROOF OF AN OCCUPIED HOUSE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT SPUTTER, SURGE, OR BACKFIRE, AND THE ENGINE WAS JUST NOT PRODUCING FULL POWER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DISCLOSED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE MAGNETO CAP WITH ONE SCREW MISSING, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE ONLY ENGAGED BY THREE THREADS. INTERFERENCE WAS ALSO FOUND AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPER ROUTING OF THAT SYSTEM IN THE AIRFRAME, AND A MISRIGGED CARBURETOR HEAT BOX, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INABILITY TO ACHIEVE FULL THROTTLE MOVEMENT AT THE CARBURETOR. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT HAD ERRATIC POWER IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM SONOMA SKYPARK AIRPORT. STORAGE SITE INVESTIGATION WAS NON-CONCLUSIVE BUT EVIDENCE INDICATED A LOOSE MAGNETO CAP WITH ONE SCREW MISSING AND TWO SCREWS ONLY ENGAGED BY THREE OR FOUR THREADS, MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ENGINE RPM CHANGE. ALSO MODERATED INTERFERENCE OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM FROM IMPROPER INSTALLATION AND CARBURETOR HEAT-BOX MISADJUSTMENT WERE LIKELY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. 44709 RIDE WILL BE SOUGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.