# NTSB CHI74AC024: Piper PA-30, N7878Y, Florence, WI, September 21, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: September 21, 1973
- Place: Florence, WI · FLORENCE, WI
- Location: 45.9279° N, 88.2352° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Florence, WI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.9279&lon=-88.2352&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 6 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 27, 1974
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 187716
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI74AC024
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI74AC024

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4158  73/9/21  NR.FLORENCE,WIS       PIPER PA-30         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 1900                    N7878Y              PX-  5  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  AGE 57, UNK/NR TOTAL
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            HOURS, UNK/NR IN TYPE,
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - IRON COUNTY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          NEW HUDSON,MICH             CRYSTAL FALLS,MICH
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISJUDGED ALTITUDE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          BROKEN                                                    600
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          3 MILES OR LESS                                          RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       48
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          110                                                       15
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      IFR
        REMARKS- NO APCH FACILITIES AT DEST ARPT,CRASHED 5MI SSE.RCVRD 9/30/73.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7878Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7878Y-1974-02-26), registration cancelled 1974-02-26, S/N 30963 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Iron County

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19730921041609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730921041609A), Sep 21, 1973: Piper PA30, Florence, WI, Destroyed, 5 fatal. No apch facilities at dest arpt,crashed 5MI sse. Rcvrd 9/30/73.

## Other investigations on N7878Y (2)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI72DEM55](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI72DEM55), Mar 12, 1972: Piper PA-30 (N7878Y), Caspian, MI, substantial damage
- [NTSB CHI68F0737](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI68F0737), May 3, 1968: Piper PA-30 (N7878Y), Ann Arbor, MI, substantial damage

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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