19891229054369A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-181 · Santa Barbara, CA · December 29, 1989

Date
December 29, 1989 · 18:23 local
Place
Santa Barbara, CA
Airport
Santa Barbara Municipal
Phase of flight
Final Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8138E
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX90LA059
Reported as
Piper PA28181
Reported engine
Lycoming O360A4M
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
492 total425 in this make and model43 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Descended into side of a hill during dark night landing. Had landing light on. Failed to note low altitude.

As the FAA filed it

DESCENDED INTO SIDE OF A HILL DURING DARK NIGHT LANDING. HAD LANDING LIGHT ON. FAILED TO NOTE LOW ALTITUDE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.