# Accident 19981110034859A: Piper PA28161, Santa Barbara, CA, November 10, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 10, 1998, 14:30 local time
- Place: Santa Barbara, CA
- Airport: Santa Barbara Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.4267° N, 119.8398° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4267&lon=-119.8398&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8258S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8258S-2017-07-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28161
- Reported engine: LYC O320D3G
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 43 total, 42 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA032) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981110034859A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON NOVEMBER 10, 1998, AT 1400 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-161, N8258S, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT VEERED OFF RUNWAY 15L AND COLLIDED WITH A RUNWAY MARKER DURING LANDING AT THE SANTA BARBARA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. (-23) THE STUDENT PILOT ENCOUNTERED A 6 KNOT CROSSWIND FROM THE RIGHT AND UPON TOUCHDOWN LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, STRIKING A RUNWAY MARKER WITH THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED AND RECEIVED 7.2 HOURS ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN VARIOUS CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AND FURTHER HAS NOW PASSED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CHECKRIDE.                                                         (.4)THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A RUNWAY MARKER SIGN DURING LANDING WHILE THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS FIRST SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, WHILE FLARING FOR LANDING, HE ENCOUNTERED A 'STRONG' CROSSWIND FROM THE RIGHT AND THAT HE LANDED WITH THE AIRCRAFT ANGLED TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE OF THE 75-FOOT-WIDE RUNWAY. HE TRIED TO CORRECT HIS PATH BACK TOWARD THE                                                                  RUNWAY CENTERLINE BUT STRUCK A RUNWAY PERIMETER SIGN ON THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY WITH THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, A QUARTERING RIGHT HEADWIND WAS REPORTED AT 6 KNOTS AND 25 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT A QUARTERING RIGHT HEADWIND WAS REPORTED AT 7 KNOTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

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 LAX99LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA032), Nov 10, 1998: Piper PA-28-161 (N8258S), Santa Barbara, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition and failure to maintain proper runway alignment during landing flare.

## Other reports on N8258S (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20150924018839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150924018839A), Sep 24, 2015: Piper PA-28-161 (N8258S), Van Nuys, CA, Substantial damage. Multiple hard contacts with runway caused right main landing gear and nose gear to break off aircraft resulting in multiple damage points including both fuel…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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