# NTSB OAK79FVD02: Piper PA-24, N7773P, Santa Rosa, CA, October 10, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: October 10, 1978
- Place: Santa Rosa, CA · SANTA ROSA, CA
- Location: 38.4405° N, 122.7144° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Santa Rosa, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4405&lon=-122.7144&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 28, 1978
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 147561
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK79FVD02
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK79FVD02

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3016  78/10/10   SANTA ROSA,CA       PIPER PA-24         CR-  0  0  1  MISCELLANEOUS             COMMERCIAL, AGE 47, 10700
        TIME - 1540                    N7773P              PX-  0  0  0  TEST                      TOTAL HOURS, 225 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - SONOMA COUNTY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SANTA ROSA,CA               LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            TAKEOFF: INITIAL CLIMB
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - IGNITION SYSTEM: LOW TENSION WIRING
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - GROUNDED
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING ON AIRPORT/SEAPLANE BASE/HELIPT.
        REMARKS- POWER FAILURE DUE TO MAGNETO GROUNDING WHERE LEAD PASSES THROUGH FIREWALL.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7773P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7773P), registered now, S/N 24-2989, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Sonoma 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 19781010033159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781010033159A), Oct 10, 1978: Piper PA24400, Santa Rosa, CA, Substantial damage. Power failure due to magneto grounding, assign qcflag eq 0101

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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