# NTSB OAK78FA050: Piper PA-24, N6576P, Mariposa, CA, September 6, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: September 6, 1978
- Place: Mariposa, CA · MARIPOSA, CA
- Location: 37.4912° N, 119.9732° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Mariposa, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4912&lon=-119.9732&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 4, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 139522
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK78FA050
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK78FA050

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4452   78/9/6  NR.MARIPOSA,CA        PIPER PA-24         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 41, 1269
        TIME - 1830                    N6576P              PX-  2  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          PORTERVILLE,CA              RENO,NV
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PERSONNEL - MAINTENANCE,SERVICING,INSPECTION: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION
           AIRFRAME - FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES: AILERON SURFACES,ATTACHMENTS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - LACK OF LUBRICATION-SPECIFIC PART,NOT SYSTEM
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - MISSING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - MATERIAL FAILURE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          4 MILES OR LESS                                          RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- VFR FLT NOT RCMDD.BALLS MISSING FM BOTH AILERON BRG ASSEMBLIES.LEFT AILERON SEPARATED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6576P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6576P-1981-10-20), registration cancelled 1981-10-20, S/N 24-1698 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-180) (registry code 7102403) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19780906045539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780906045539A), Sep 6, 1978: Piper PA24, Mariposa, CA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Inflight breakup of airplane. VFR flight not recommended for low ceilings. Thunderstorms and icing in area.

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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